Gabrielle Russon
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is budgeted to get a $40 million engineering building under the spending plan put forward by lawmakers.
The engineering expansion is one of the funded PECO projects from the Education Capital Outlay list by the Appropriations Conference Chairs.
There was other good news for Florida State University in the PECO list, including $25 million to demolish and relocate the 45-year-old Mendenhall maintenance complex to free up 10 acres in the heart of campus and $20 million to build the Veterans Legacy Complex. The 56,028-square-foot veterans complex will serve as the new home for the Student Veterans Center, Army and Air Force ROTC, and the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience.
For the school’s officials, a new engineering campus facility has been long-awaited as engineering students and faculty share space in the other two research buildings.
“Events that require auditorium space must be scheduled in spaces on the FAMU or FSU campus when available, and there is no space to display projects and achievements,” according to the local funding request from Sen. Corey Simon, a Tallahassee Republican.
The project would build a 163,867-square-foot expansion on Building C, which is in dire need of space, including classrooms, teaching labs, study areas, research lab space, office, auditorium space, instructional media space, and support services space,” the local funding request said.
The $40 million is half what the schools had been hoping to get from Simon’s request.
The school had been seeking $80 million for this fiscal year and planned to also request $44.5 million in future years from the state, although the school also stated that it could raise private donations for the project.
The engineering expansion already received $5 million in 2024-25.
“Available recurring funds will be used to fund the normal operations of the facility, such as utilities, building services, etc.,” the funding request said. “Maintenance will be funded from reserves as required by law, carry forward funding when appropriate, and deferred maintenance appropriations when provided.”
