Jacksonville University College of Law opens in new Downtown campus

As fall classes get underway, the Jacksonville University College of Law celebrated the opening of its new home in Downtown Jacksonville's historic former Atlantic Bank building. Now named for the College of Law, with the building bearing its name, the opening marks the on-schedule completion of an ambitious eight-month adaptive reuse renovation project.

The College of Law completed the 50,000-square-foot space on four contiguous floors in early August. It will accommodate the growth of the law school and provide the opportunity to expand as it continues to welcome larger classes and hire more faculty and staff to serve the needs of its growing student body. Moving to a larger space had been planned since long before the law school's launch in 2022.

The City of Jacksonville, unanimously approved by the City Council, invested $6.5 million into the $12 million renovation project.

"The City of Jacksonville is proud to support the new downtown campus of Jacksonville University's law school. We congratulate them on this significant milestone for the school and for our city," said Jacksonville Mayor, Donna Deegan. "The new law school campus is a key part of our plans to grow higher education in Jacksonville and make downtown a place where people will choose to learn, work, live, play, and visit."

"JU is an amazing part of this community, and this law school is going to bring life downtown, something that we need. It's going to bring vibrancy," said Jacksonville City Council Vice President, Kevin Carrico. "We've all worked together to support JU and will continue to support JU and all the other [higher education] institutions around town. Thank you for showing us what a public-private partnership can look like."

In the two years since its opening in the VyStar Tower, the College of Law is already welcoming more than 86 students, along with faculty and staff to Downtown each day. The law school will continue to meet the needs of the community, expand its talent pool and strengthen its economic infrastructure with highly qualified new lawyers.

"We're grateful beyond measure to the City of Jacksonville for their support and encouragement of our law school. We also acknowledge the exceptional talent of our design and construction partners for making the bold vision of President Cost and the University Board of Trustees a reality for our students and the people of Northeast Florida," said Randall C. Berg Jr. Founding Dean Nick Allard. "We look forward to educating a long line of outstanding future lawyers in this historic space for years to come."

The new space was completely renovated to include flexible, state-of-the-art classrooms, study and common areas, spaces for immersive learning, student meeting rooms, faculty and staff offices, event space and an extensive library.

"Today marks a pivotal moment for Jacksonville University and the city we proudly call home," said Jacksonville University President, Tim Cost. "The opening of our College of Law in this beautifully restored, historic space is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, and partners who turned vision into reality. Together, we have laid a strong foundation for a future where our law school will thrive and serve an important need in our community. I look forward to shaking hands with the College of Law's first graduating class this spring."

Historic features of the building were thoughtfully preserved, such as the second-floor reception room, the main stairwell on the first floor and the original ceiling details above it. A three-story atrium in the center of the building allows natural light into the building. Windows on the south side of the building look out onto the bustling Forsyth Street, and large windows on the first floor showcase law school activities to passersby.

Auld & White Constructors was the contractor for the project. TTV Architects, a group with extensive experience in higher education projects and in historic renovation and adaptive reuse, designed the space. Christian Harden of NAI Hallmark brokered the lease deal and John Hodges of International Management Company was the key representative for the owner. Workscapes was the furniture and interior design partner on the project.

In March, the College of Law received provisional ABA accreditation on the fastest possible timeline. It can apply for full accreditation two years from that date.

The College of Law welcomed its third incoming class earlier this month - its largest yet with 44 students. The inaugural class will graduate in the spring.