by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Community leaders, University of North Florida administrators and students spent a portion of their Wednesday morning in the woods off of Kernan Boulevard.
They were there to celebrate the ground breaking of the school’s new residence hall, Osprey Fountains, a ceremony that’s part of the school’s 35th anniversary celebration.
The new five-story, 365,000 square-foot building on the eastern edge of campus is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2009.
“We appreciate you joining us in the woods today,” said Dr. Pierre Allaire, vice president of institutional advancement for UNF, before introducing the ceremony’s speakers.
UNF President and former Mayor John Delaney said this residence hall is one of the school’s largest milestones.
“It is the biggest project the university has undertaken,” Delaney said about the $86 million project.
The Haskell Company is the design/build team for the residence hall, he said, adding the company has given the university a wonderful design.
Steve Halverson, president and CEO of the Haskell Company, was at the ground breaking.
“Steve, we are delighted to be working with your company again,” said Delaney.
The residence hall will have space for 1,000 students. Currently there are more than 2,200 on-campus residents living in the university’s five residence halls.
Osprey Fountains will offer single and double-room suites with two bathrooms and high-speed data access in each bedroom.
Plans also include parking facilities for 1,000 cars, a new access road — Osprey Ridge Road — retention ponds, walking trails and a walkway connection to the main campus. Tentative plans include a swimming pool, tennis courts, convenience store with a grill, resident lounges with cooking facilities, game room, fitness center, laundry facilities and meeting space for programs and activities.
“The student life experience is half of the college experience, the other half being in the classroom,” said Delaney. “The more students on campus, the more of a college feel.”
Student Government President Rachael Tutwiler said that campus life is getting better every day at UNF.
“It truly is an exciting time to be an Osprey,” she said. “We now stand on what soon will be home to a thousand students.”
Tutwiler said she knows what campus life is about, because she lives on campus in the residence halls.
“It is convenient and I’ve formed life-long friendships while living on campus,” she said. “I have seen the evolution of the dorm experience and I am confident and certain that the best is yet to come.”
Before Delaney moved the first piece of land to signify the beginning of construction of Osprey Fountains, Tutwiler held up a set of keys.
“These are the keys to a bright future and the keys to a great campus life. But in reality, these are the keys to the backhoe,” she said.
For a fly-by video animation of the project, visit www.unf.edu/dept/facplan/projects.html.