JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of North Florida received nearly 200 acres of potential expansion room with a land donation valued at $21.5 million.
The 11 parcels of vacant land -- approximately 190 acres -- form a portion of the First Coast Technology Park and front on either First Coast Tech Parkway or Kernan Boulevard and lie just to the north of J. Turner Butler Boulevard.
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UNF said the land was originally donated by the family of A. C. Skinner to the Duval County Research and Development Authority, an independent authority of the city of Jacksonville, which managed the land for the benefit of UNF and is now conveying the land to UNF’s Foundation.
UNF hasn’t yet decided how the land will be used but some possibilities include academic support and enrichment, research, athletics, faculty and student life, residential, maintenance and auxiliary facilities, and more.
“The university is extremely grateful and appreciative of this gift of land from both the Skinner family and the Duval County Research and Development Authority that will benefit our community and students for generations to come,” said UNF Interim President Pamela Chally. “This donation represents a strategic investment in UNF’s future that will allow the university to continue to expand our footprint within Jacksonville and provide additional academic resources and amenities to the community.”
The Skinner family has a long history of supporting UNF. The 500 acres that form UNF’s original campus were a gift from the Skinner family. In 2013, UNF dedicated two buildings in honor of Jacksonville landowners and developers Arthur Chester Skinner Jr., Charles Brightman Skinner and Mary Virginia Skinner-Jones with the naming of UNF’s Skinner-Jones Hall.
“The Duval County Research & Development Authority is delighted to provide UNF with this gift of land adjacent to campus,” said RDA Board Chair Bruce Taylor. “The university has such a significant impact on our regional economy and quality of life, and we are so pleased to be a part of UNF’s continued growth.”
The gift of these 190 acres will allow the UNF Foundation to experience its highest fundraising efforts to date.