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

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • Countway Library at Harvard Medical School

    From Shadows to Sanctuary: The Transformation of Light at Countway Library

    The renovation of Countway Library at Harvard Medical School demonstrates how biophilic design and advanced lighting strategies transformed a formerly dark, insular space into a vibrant, welcoming hub that supports wellness, learning, and community engagement.