University of South Florida Moves Forward with New Life Sciences Building

By SCN Staff

TAMPA, Fla.—Skanska, a global construction and development firm, has announced it will construct a new mixed-use lab and office project for the University of South Florida’s (USF) Research Park. Skanska’s $27 million contract includes the design and construction of the laboratory and office building that will be located on USF’s campus in Tampa. The total cost of the project is $42 million.

The three-story life sciences building will house 120,000 square feet of office and lab space within USF’s Research Park, complete with ground-floor retail and dining options. Designed by architecture firm Gensler, the expansion of the research park will strengthen the university’s life sciences and technology ecosystem. Upon the project’s completion estimated for fall 2021, the capacity of the research park will be expanded by more than 30 percent.

“With this investment into biotechnology and life sciences research, USF will further stimulate our regional economy in the Tampa Bay region,” said Michael C. Brown, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska’s Florida building operations. “We look forward to delivering a project that will help the university to promote innovation, entrepreneurism and the discovery of new technologies that will have a positive impact on our community.”

Skanska is currently nearing completion of USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute, which is bringing the university’s medical education programs to the heart of downtown Tampa. Additionally, Skanska built two buildings totaling more than 230,000 square feet of laboratory and office space that opened at the original research park in 2005.