Jax dorms get a new look

By Matt Galnor

A view of the renovated dormitories on the Jacksonville campus.

Attention College of Medicine students: Your digs in Jacksonville have been upgraded. UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville and Shands Jacksonville officials, staff and students recently celebrated renovations to the student dorm, marking the end of a project years in the making.

Structurally, the three-story brick building needed serious repairs to fix, among other things, the roof, the elevator, windows and the heating and air conditioning system. The $3.4 million project also adds modern touches with an exercise room, updated study areas and two student lounges — one with a flat-screen television on the wall.

“I was kind of expecting some new carpet and a fresh coat of paint, but they’ve completely transformed the place,” said Josh Arenth, a fourth-year medical student. “I’m very excited to come back after seeing what they’ve done.”