USF Sarasota-Manatee hosts groundbreaking for its first student housing complex

SARASOTA, Fla. - Soon, students who attend the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus can stay there. The school plans to add student housing for the first time.

With the scoop of a shovel and a lot of cheers, the USF began its expansion.

"We’ve really been the sort of campus where people come to the campus and they go home. This will make a huge difference, it will increase engagement and it’ll really make Sarasota stand up," said sophomore Alexandra Lopez.

The $42-million complex will have six stories and can house as many as 200 students, according to USF officials. They hope to open it in time for fall 2024.

"I think this will really give us an opportunity to meet new students. Students that maybe wouldn’t have come if we didn’t have residential housing to begin with so I think it’s a really cool opportunity to meet new people," said Lopez.

The bottom two floors will include a 32,000-square-foot student center, featuring dining facilities, a bookstore, lounges, and meeting rooms. It will be located on Seagate Drive, south of the campus.

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USF said it’ll probably only be a matter of time till they’ll have to expand again.

"My guess is that we will overfill it and start thinking about the next residence hall," said Karen Holbrook Regional Chancellor for the Sarasota-Manatee campus.

It’s the first expansion for the campus in more than 15 years. It’s also the second building for a campus that continues to grow.

"Imagine what we can do with some more space," said USF president Rhea Law. "We can actually bring them here and give them that community feeling and give them the opportunity to really have a college experience and learn what they need to learn to be successful."

USF committed to contributing $16.5 million, with the remaining funds coming from the bonds through the USF Financing Corp. Those bonds will be repaid with revenue from USF Housing, officials said.