The University of South Florida St. Petersburg (USFSP) is moving forward with a new 7,500-square-foot veterans center on its downtown waterfront campus, replacing a temporary office with a permanent home for one of Florida’s largest student veteran populations.
Construction is expected to begin in July, with the building scheduled to open in September 2027.
The $7.5 million project will rise at 100 5th Avenue South, the former site of USF’s Family Studies Center, which was destroyed during the 2024 hurricanes.
The center will include private offices for staff, a student lounge, private study rooms, a training room, meeting spaces, and a dedicated veterans coffee area designed to give student vets a place to gather between classes.
“We call it wrap-around services,” said Todd Post, Assistant Director of Veterans Success at USFSP, who is overseeing the project.
The center, he said, is designed to help veterans navigate GI Bill benefits, career counseling, wellness support, and the broader transition from military to civilian academic life, all under one roof.
USFSP currently serves 652 military-connected students, roughly 14-15% of the campus.
That share has been climbing in recent years and is one of the highest concentrations in the State University System.
Military-connected students include active-duty service members, veterans, reservists, National Guard members, and their spouses and dependents.