Construction activity at higher education campuses in Florida continues to generate renovation and modernization opportunities for contractors as universities invest in updated instructional space and student-focused facilities. Skanska has completed a multi-phase academic renovation at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, adding upgraded teaching environments and collaborative areas within an occupied campus setting.
The $8.6 million project involved the renovation of 77,600 square feet and was completed while the college remained operational for more than 2,400 students.
The renovation program included upgrades to 16 classrooms along with improvements to faculty and administrative office areas designed to create more collaborative work environments.
Skanska also renovated the college’s Anheuser-Busch Beer & Wine Lab and reconfigured the Disney Dining Room to include a more open bar layout intended to support hospitality instruction and event-based learning activities.
In addition, the former campus library was converted into the Rosen College Commons, a shared gathering and collaboration area for students and faculty.
University officials said the updated facilities are intended to support experiential learning programs tied to hospitality, tourism, attractions and entertainment management.
The work was delivered over a nine-month construction schedule using a three-phase approach intended to limit disruption to campus operations.
Occupied campus renovations often require detailed coordination around academic schedules, student circulation and ongoing building use. The Rosen College project required construction sequencing that allowed instructional activities to continue throughout the renovation period.
The Rosen College of Hospitality Management is located near Orlando’s tourism corridor and maintains partnerships with hospitality and attractions industry organizations. The school recently launched the Universal School of Experience Leadership & Innovation as part of its broader academic expansion efforts.
Skanska said it currently has approximately $400 million in active education-sector work underway throughout Florida, including projects in Osceola, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, Marion and Lee counties.
Higher education and K-12 owners across Florida continue to invest in renovations that modernize aging academic buildings, improve student amenities and support workforce-focused training programs. For contractors and construction managers, occupied-campus renovation work remains a significant segment of the state’s institutional construction market because of the specialized phasing, logistics and stakeholder coordination required during delivery.
Source: Skanska.
