USF St. Petersburg Breaks Ground on $20 Million Student Center

USF St. Petersburg broke ground today on a $20 million Student Center complex that will be 81,000 square feet and house dining services, a ballroom, meeting spaces and a six-story dormitory.

Plans are to open the building in time for the fall 2012 semester. It will be located on the south side of 6th Avenue South, between 2nd and 3rd streets south, in downtown St. Petersburg.

The building will be the latest addition to the Harborwalk at USFSP corridor, also home to the LEED-certified Science and Technology Building, which opened in January 2010.

Part of the funding for the $20 million facility was made possible through a student-led initiative.

Students have also allocated a portion of their activity and services fee toward meeting the requirements for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

LEED certifiction represents the gold standard in energy efficiency for new buildings. LEED-certified buildings often may cost more to construct but save money over the life of the building in terms of energy bills.

The dorm space will include two-student bedrooms, each with a private bath. The university's first residence hall, completed in 2006, houses 351 students in apartment-style suites and has been at capacity for three years.

“This is a major step forward. Our new facility will give students the space needed to build on our dynamic university culture,” said James Scott, student government president, in a written statement.

“The Multipurpose Student Center will be transformational for USF St. Petersburg," said Debbie Sembler, USF Board of Trustee and chair of the USFSP Campus Board, in a written statement. “This building was made possible by a tremendous effort throughout the university, especially among the student leaders who worked tirelessly on behalf of their peers.”

The building will add space to the campus for student meetings, events and housing while providing a revenue source through rentals for community organizations, businesses and the public.