New Construction

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.”