FLAGLER

Whitney Labs unveils new research village

Travis Gibson tgibson@staugustine.com
The new research village at the Whitney Laboratory for marine Bioscience features a cluster of six sustainably built cottages each equipped with four bedrooms a kitchen and a shared living space. The cottages more than double the current housing by adding 24 beds. [Photo provided/Whitney Labs]

The newly constructed research village at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, a project five years in the making, opened earlier this month.

The goal of the multimillion-dollar project, which had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 8, is to give visiting scientists and students a place to stay while they conduct coastal, environmental and marine biology research.

“We are pretty excited about it,” said Jessica Long, director of development and external relations.

The village features a cluster of six sustainably built cottages, each equipped with four bedrooms, a kitchen and a shared living space. The cottages more than double the current housing by adding 24 beds.

The Florida Legislature pitched in more than $700,000, with fundraising covering the estimated additional costs of $2.3 million.

The research village project is part of an overall expansion at the campus across State Road A1A from Marineland Dolphin Adventure.

Long said the next project is a 25,000-square-foot laboratory building featuring an expanded sea turtle hospital. UF has already raised more than $10 million, about half the money needed, for that project. The goal is to raise more money in 2019 and begin building by 2020.