With enrollment growing by 500 to 1,000 students every year, the 16,000-student University of North Florida is embarking on a $170-million expansion over the next three years.

The first phase of UNF's master plan calls for:

• A $50-million, 148,500-sq.-ft. student union, including two buildings and green space for concerts and other events. UNF President John Delaney says the move symbolizes the university's growth from a commuter school to a traditional campus. Work is set to begin this spring.
  
• A $27-million College of Education building, with construction starting early next year.
  
• A $12-million expansion of the Brooks College of Health, with work beginning late this year.
  
• $80 million in new student housing.
• Parking lots.

One rendering of the student union, which is still in the development phase

All of the projects are funded and in the design stage. UNF is also hoping the Legislature will appropriate money to buy a vacant AOL building next to its Southside campus. Delaney says the 125,000-sq.-ft. building would house administrative offices, freeing the center of campus for academic and student affairs.

The entire five-year master plan would cost about $500 million and include 20 new or expanded buildings, additional space for athletics, student housing and more parking.

Delaney, who's hoping to boost enrollment to 25,000, also would like to see a signature structure built on campus to give the university a "photo image," something he says is important to UNF's marketing efforts.