VMDO Architects

The University of Florida Housing Master Plan supports the transformation of Florida’s flagship university to become a Top-5 public university with “top-5 facilities and a top-5 campus.” The Housing Master Plan provides guiding principles for residential life, demand/market analysis, a literature review of student housing research, a financial plan, and a facilities assessment for the University’s 168 facilities.

Grounded in thorough research, influenced by academic scholarship, and rooted in a detailed understanding of the University’s existing facilities and conditions, the Housing Master Plan will guide nearly a half billion dollars of construction over the next decade. The recommendations of this plan are intended to create a bold, yet realistic vision of how renewed housing facilities can support a signature UF experience and strengthen its position as a preeminent national university.

Housing Master Plan Goals:

• Support a Signature UF Experience: By improving both the housing facilities and the existing housing program, the University will support students’ social and academic engagement in a way that is unique to being a Gator.

• Contribute to a Vibrant Campus Life: Focusing on new and renovated housing in the core of campus will strengthen both the residential experience and the vitality of the campus.

• Balance Financial Accessibility with Quality Facilities: The University will promote equity among residents throughout the housing system while maintaining a high-quality standard for operations and maintenance.

• Maintain Student Choice and Fiscal Responsibility: UF housing must continue to be financially successful in order to allow for new construction and reinvestment to occur. This also requires care in balancing revenue with expenses to accommodate capital projects.

The plan creates a compelling vision for housing at the University of Florida, identifying priority renovation and replacement projects needed to revitalize the housing experience. Two new construction projects initiate the plan: a new 1,400-bed, 469,000 SF Honors Residential College and a new 500-bed residence hall for undergraduates and student-athletes. These two projects will capture the unmet demand for student housing and create the swing space needed to implement a comprehensive renovation plan for existing facilities. Both new projects will add to the density and vitality of the campus experience. While the Housing Master Plan creates a compelling vision for these new construction projects and for the renovations to follow, it also identifies the financial adjustments, phasing, and strategic adjustments needed to achieve this vision.