The University of South Florida Saint Petersburg's campus continues to grow. The Tampa Bay Business Journal reports the College of Business will be built on the College's current location, the Piano Man building on 7th Avenue South.
The Journal reports that the university had been planning to use a parking lot across from the University Student Center, but that site was ruled out after officials decided they might use it instead to expand the nearby Science and Technology Building.
According to designs, the building will be 66,000 square feet in size, and three stories tall. That height avoids restrictions related to the nearby Albert Whitted Airport. In addition, some of the current Piano Man building might be kept in the new design.
USF St. Pete interim regional chancellor William Hogarth tells the Journal that the $27 million cost estimate is being finalized. University officials hope to secure half the money in the upcoming state Legislative session.
“We are hoping that having the site and help from the Legislature will help us to find donors,” Hogarth said.
In addition to the lot across from the University Student Center, the University had also been considering the former Dali Museum building on Third Street South and land that the Poynter Institute of Media Studies owns between 8th and 11th Avenues and 3rd and 4th Streets next to the campus.
