Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Sea Turtle Hospital at University of Florida Under Construction

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/17/24

The University of Florida’s Whitney Research Laboratory for Marine Bioscience recently began construction on a new Sea Turtle Hospital for its campus in St. Augustine, Fla., according to a news release. The new facility will include multiple research labs, education areas, and a sea turtle research center and hospital. The university is partnering with DPR Construction on the $41.2-million complex.

“The addition of the Marine Research Institute Building and the Sea Turtle Research Center and Hospital represents a significant milestone for the University of Florida and our efforts in marine science education and conservation,” said Whitney Laboratory Sea Turtle Hospital Program Manager Catherine Eastman. “This facility will not only advance our research capabilities but also inspire the next generation of scientists and conservationists.”

The complex will feature a marine research and conservation discovery entryway, a scientific education path, and an outdoor classroom to facilitate learning for students and visitors. Construction is aiming for a LEED Gold certification. A 38,000-square-foot, two-story post tension cast-in-place structure is an innovation of note, featuring advanced self-performing concrete techniques, the news release reports.

“This new facility was ideated in collaboration with Whitney scientists to ensure that their workflow is prioritized in the space we build,” said DPR Project Executive Michael Boykin. “It's an exciting project that not only takes sustainability into consideration during the building process, but will contribute so much to the preservation of our iconic wildlife in Florida.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • University of Washington Opens New Broadcast Studio

    The University of Washington in Seattle, Wash., recently announced the opening of Sundodger Studios, a new broadcast, production, and content facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with Anthony James Partners for the design and development of the studio, which will host about 100 live broadcasts and 120 live videoboard shows per year.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • California High School Opens New Classroom Building for 7th-, 8th-Graders

    Santa Rosa City Schools in Santa Rosa, Calif., recently announced the completion of a new classroom building for Piner High School. As the campus transitions to a Junior/Senior High School, the facility will play home to the school’s new population of seventh- and eighth-grade students.

  • Texas A&M Opens First Building at Fort Worth Campus, Breaks Ground on Research Facility

    The Texas A&M University System marked a major milestone in the development of its Fort Worth campus by opening its first completed academic building and breaking ground on a second facility designed to expand research and industry collaboration.