Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Construction Begins on UF Public Safety Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/14/21

On the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., construction has already begun on the new University of Florida Public Safety Building. The new home of the UF Police Department is intended to enhance visibility on campus and promote accessibility to the public. The facility was designed by SchenkelShultz Architecture.

“We are very proud of this project,” said Ekta Desai, a Partner at SchenkelShultz. “In working with UF and testing options within our studio, we were able to create a practical, inviting, high-performance space that will accommodate multiple Public Safety departments. By design, the new building will define a campus landmark as a gateway and enhance communication and reaction time to better serve the University of Florida community.”

University of Florida Public Safety Building

The new, three-story facility will unite several different business units that are currently scattered around campus. It will house administration offices, a public lobby space, offices, a community meeting room, multi-purpose space, a secure storage area for public records, interview rooms, locker rooms, and a vehicle sally port for the secure transfer of individuals in custody.

“With the firm’s growing Public Safety design talent and community-driven focus, we have been able to leverage our expertise to create a space that will increase efficiencies and impact,” said Johnnie Lohrum Jr., Principal and Public Safety Market Leader at SchenkelShultz. “It is important for our firm to focus on projects that will impact our community in a positive way.

The facility will measure in at 50,000 square feet. The university is partnering with Ajax Building Company for construction.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • school building with glowing circuit board patterns

    AI Is Coming to Schools — But Most School Buildings Still Run on Institutional Memory

    As school districts race to introduce AI into classrooms, administration, and curriculum planning, another conversation is happening behind the scenes: How prepared are school facilities themselves for the operational demands AI will create?

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.