UWF Breaks Ground On New Restaurant Development

April 5, 2014

University of West Florida Business Enterprises, Inc. hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, April 4, to mark the beginning of construction on the East Campus Restaurant Development Site on Highway 90/Davis Highway at Campus Drive.

“This development will transform our East Campus into an inviting space for our students and community and will heighten UWF’s visibility to those traveling on US 90,” UWF President Judy Bense said. “It is symbolic of the growth and development happening all across campus and we look forward to the new vibrancy, services, and student life opportunities that will be created.”

UWF BEI and Compass/Chartwells are partnering for the $3 million development project, which will feature restaurant and retail facilities that will transform the University’s east campus entrance  into a vibrant atmosphere that will attract UWF students, faculty, staff, prospective students and visitors of the Northwest Florida region.

The East Campus Restaurant Development Site will feature a mix of retail price points targeted for the University community as well as the general public. The restaurants and retail facilities will be identified this spring, with some of the first businesses expected to open this winter.

The UWF Board of Trustees approved the Development Agreement and Right of Entry document for the East Campus project during its March 26 meeting, marking the final step in the approval process before construction could begin. Before it was presented to the full Board of Trustees, the document was approved by the UWF BEI Board of Directors and ratified by the UWF Board of Trustees Finance and Facilities Committee.

Pictured top: The University of West Florida broke ground Friday for a new restaurant development on Davis Highway at the east campus entrance. Pictured below: Development plans. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

14 Responses to “UWF Breaks Ground On New Restaurant Development”

  1. Bailey on July 29th, 2015 2:12 pm

    As an entering freshman I can see the benefits of these businesses coming in. As a bike owner I am looking for jobs I can get to easily while living on campus. There are not enough on campus jobs available to pay off every student’s debt. While it may not be in the fields we are majoring in, these restaurants and retail businesses give us students more opportunities to off set costs without having to work across town.

  2. JSCS on April 7th, 2014 2:18 pm

    I thought UWF was supposed to be a college – teaching higher education.

    How did it evolve into a retail business? Yes, they have a beautiful campus but how long will it be before we see a nice new hotel there!

    Somehow they have lost their original plan and the door is wide open now for retail.

  3. JD on April 7th, 2014 2:09 pm

    I thought this location was supposed to be a Hotel Conference Center?

  4. mary on April 7th, 2014 11:59 am

    Really? Is this typical of universities in donation situations to build restaurants/retail? Especially if it was earmarked for “wildlife areas? Yes, I have two degrees from UWF and I think this is bizarre. UWF has a beautiful campus and the direction they are going is, in my opinion wierd. Let’s spend more money on academics-not retail. I really don’t think that is an attractive venture in wooing student to this campus. Just an opinion….

  5. John Q. Public on April 6th, 2014 3:12 pm

    It’s good to see so many commenters understand what’s going on. All these so called public/private commercial ventures stink to high Heaven. The state of Alabama is going into the hotel business on our public beach in Gulf Shores and already has zip lines installed in the park. I would love to see someone follow the money on this stuff and report back to us.

  6. joe biden on April 6th, 2014 2:05 pm

    Restaurants and retail, I’ve worked in both. I dont understand how they will attract prospective students to UWF. I went to school to get OUT of minimum wage retail and restaurant jobs…..

    but, but…if we raise the minimum wage to 25.00per hour…it will be Camelot…

  7. Gembeaux on April 6th, 2014 11:43 am

    @No Excuses: It’s not the area near Baptist Hospital. It’s the other entrance on Davis near the Davis (Hwy 90) and Scenic Highway merge.
    And I agree, UWF has lost its way. All these business ventures, with the taxpayers shouldering the risks, have not resulted in any noticeable improvements in tuition costs, curriculum or student benefits.

  8. john on April 6th, 2014 9:21 am

    So, if they can’t repay the money they just get the state to bail them out, because the state of Florida owns UWF.

  9. M in Bratt on April 6th, 2014 5:35 am

    Let’s see; Buying Country Clubs, Building shopping center/restaurant developments, Building hotels and other developments that by the way are being financed by a loan co-signed by the little town of Century. I guess UWF has figured out that they can’t produce teachers that can teach our kids, so they will produce a buck or two for the powers to be.

  10. BT on April 5th, 2014 10:26 pm

    Do you start to get the feeling UWF has lost their way? The core business is education, not property development.

    Adding the right amenities will enhance the student experience. Paving over the wooded areas to put in strip malls will not. They’re using public resources to chase dollars.

  11. No Excuses on April 5th, 2014 3:12 pm

    So this is around the West Florida Hospital area since it says Davis Highway? Otherwise, I’m with JQP because it will take up the beautiful area around UWF that has made the campus so attractive, not to mention difficult to get into the Baptist Medical Park. If it’s the other entrance where Scenic Highway and Davis branch off from each other, I am of the opinion that nothing needs to be built there either. And, Yes, I am a UWF graduate!

  12. ME on April 5th, 2014 2:07 pm

    The rich get richer and the poor keep paying for it.

    Nuff Said

  13. mary on April 5th, 2014 1:36 pm

    Restaurants and retail, I’ve worked in both. I dont understand how they will attract prospective students to UWF. I went to school to get OUT of minimum wage retail and restaurant jobs.

  14. John Q. Public on April 5th, 2014 9:40 am

    This is the way public officials give away our public land to their friends in private business. This land was donated to the University as a wildlife area.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News