- Santa Fe College secured a $5 million federal grant to repair and upgrade its gymnasium damaged by storms in 2023 and 2024.
- The gym, vital for college events and emergency staging, sustained roof damage during Hurricane Idalia and subsequent storms.
- Upgrade work will include roof repairs, a permanent generator, and climate control system and may start late 2025, lasting 12-18 months.
Santa Fe College (SF) recently secured a $5 million federal Community Development Block Grant to help harden and upgrade its multi-use gymnasium on its Northwest Campus.
The funds are part of $311 million in awards that Florida allocated to 37 communities for infrastructure improvements following the 2023 and 2024 storms – Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton – as well as the North Florida tornadoes in 2024.
More specifically, the $5 million awarded to SF was through the 2023 and 2024 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Infrastructure Repair Program to help the college “repair and upgrade” the gym as a result of “significant roof damage from the 2023 and 2024 storms,” according to a December 2025 release from the governor’s press office.
In an email reply to Mainstreet on Wednesday, Lisa Brosky, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications at SF, stated that the gym suffered “significant roof damage during Hurricane Idalia in 2023,” adding that this led to continual leaks in the years following and from additional hurricanes in 2024.
“Despite temporary repairs, including ceiling tile replacements, storm drain repairs, roof patching, and mold inspections, the damage has continued,” she said, “compromising the gymnasium’s functionality and safety.”
According to a January SF College release, the gym plays a key role in hosting college and community events, including athletics and business functions, as well as college fairs and graduation ceremonies. Located near Interstate 75, the release said the gym has also served as a staging area for the Florida Army National Guard during preparations for emergency response across the state.
Brosky said the gym is currently open and is utilized every day, noting that the temporary repairs have kept the facility safe.
“It’s just that those [repairs] are not sustainable,” she added. “The roof needs comprehensive repair.”
According to the SF College release, the grant will allow the college to “create an infrastructure resilient to natural disasters in support of long-term building and recovery following devastating storms.”
In addition to extensive roof repairs, the SF College release said work will involve installing a permanent generator and fuel tank to make sure power isn’t interrupted during emergencies, as well as adding “a standalone boiler and chiller system for reliable climate control, independent from the college’s central utility system.”
Brosky said “most likely” work might start at the gym at the end of the year and continue for 12-18 months.
“The work will be [completed] in three phases,” she added. “We don’t yet know if they can run concurrently.”
When work does begin at the gym, Brosky said “roof and envelope work” shouldn’t “hinder events inside the building.” She added that SF College “will coordinate with athletics for booked events and to minimize any disruptions.”
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.