UF selects Edgemoor to lead construction of first Jacksonville campus building

The University of Florida recently chose Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate to lead the initial phase of construction for its new graduate campus in Jacksonville.

Courtesy of UF

Key Points

The University of Florida recently announced that it has chosen Maryland-based Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate to lead the initial $287.5 million phase of construction for its new graduate campus in Jacksonville.

In a Monday press release, UF said the selection of Edgemoor, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland, comes after a “competitive process that drew strong interest from development teams nationwide.”

According to the release, Edgemoor’s teammates feature a mix of local and national partners such as Clark Construction, Auld & White Constructors, OJB Landscape Architecture, HOK, PQH Group Design, England-Thims Miller, Coastal Connections Group and more.

“Edgemoor and their team bring an excellent track record of executing transformative higher education projects on campuses throughout the country,” said Mori Hosseini, chair of the UF Board of Trustees, in the release. “The initial UF projects are dynamic and interdisciplinary, and this required engaging a partnership team that will challenge convention and drive decision-making across the university.”

The release notes that the first building will anchor the campus in the historic LaVilla neighborhood in downtown Jacksonville.

According to the UF Board of Trustees’ Feb. 23 meeting agenda, local and state leaders, along with university donors, provided UF with over $300 million to fund the development of a campus in Jacksonville.

Additionally, the city of Jacksonville has committed over 20 acres of land “and tens of millions of dollars toward construction” of the campus, the release said.

“Selecting a preferred developer is a critical step as we move from planning to execution,” UF interim President Donald Landry said in the release. “We are excited to work with Edgemoor to deliver a facility that reflects UF’s excellence and meets the needs of students, faculty and industry partners.”

The release noted that initial programs for the Jacksonville are expected to start in existing facilities this year, “with new construction to follow as the campus expands.”

“The broader vision includes advanced graduate programs in areas such as business, health care and emerging technologies, positioning Jacksonville as a center for innovation and talent development, further strengthening professional opportunities locally and for the state of Florida,” the release said.