Following in the footsteps of schools that have brokered development partnerships between high-tech companies and academia as well as cities that have revitalized struggling districts into 24/7 neighborhoods, the University of Florida is going outside its Gainesville campus gates and stepping into the shoes of an urban renewer. The UF goal is to turn an adjacent neighborhood full of underutilized low-rise buildings into a 40-acre compact community where people work, live and play. Having overcome the many zoning, infrastructure and cultural challenges that stood in its way, Innovation Square—which could encompass more than 5 million sq ft when it is built out—is on its way.
"The vision is to create a holistic approach to economic development," says Ed Poppell, UF's director of economic development. "We're in the unique position to provide collaborations that commercialize inventions and discoveries and offer quality-of-life benefits those businesses and their employees want."