WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Vanderbilt University has unveiled artist renderings of its proposed West Palm Beach campus, showcasing a vibrant graduate school focused on business, data science, and artificial intelligence.
The campus will also feature a state-of-the-art innovation center designed to foster collaboration among startups, investors, established businesses, and academia.
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said, “We are delighted to share these renderings and our vision for a West Palm Beach campus. The images show that we are planning a unique learning and research environment that nurtures collaboration and innovation and is sustainable in all senses.”
“The renderings are absolutely beautiful. It reflects this metropolis, the lifestyle, the luxury, the beauty that we have here in Palm Beach County and I think it fits in really well with the direction that we’re heading,” said Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO, Business Development Board of Palm Beach County.
The project has made significant strides since Vanderbilt was granted five acres of county-owned land and two acres of city-owned land in downtown West Palm Beach in the fall of 2024. The university now aims to raise $300 million to bring the campus to life. The site is near the intersection of South Tamarind Avenue and Fern Street.
“I think it’s phenomenal. It’s going to be a game-changer for West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County and in fact our entire region,” said Gregg Weiss, Palm Beach County Commissioner, District 2.
“There’s some huge universities. What do you think of, as top- tier, right? Harvard, Yale, Stanford, like there’s a list of them. Vanderbilt is right up there with them and having it in Palm Beach County I think it’s just gonna be an amazing thing,” said Sara Baxter, Palm Beach County Commissioner, District 6.
Elkus Manfredi Architects, led by CEO David P. Manfredi, is spearheading the design. Manfredi described the location as a “living laboratory of South Florida landscape,” with plans to incorporate native plantings similar to Vanderbilt’s Nashville arboretum.
“The arboretum—mirroring the arboretum on our Nashville campus—symbolizes our commitment to operate as One Vanderbilt, and our never-ending collective effort to dare to grow,” Diermeier said.
The tropical arboretum will feature indigenous South Florida species, including slash pines, Cherokee Beans, and sabal palms, enhancing the connection to the local environment.
Manfredi said, “We are inspired by Vanderbilt’s goals to create an environment of teaching, learning, discovery and research that promotes a culture of openness, transparency, innovation and collaboration.”
The renderings reveal a campus that is both aesthetically appealing and functional. The Executive Education & Lifelong Learning Building will use mass timber, creating warm, natural learning environments. Solar energy potential is also being explored, with rooftops designed to accommodate photovoltaic cells.
The coastal site is designed with resilience in mind, complying with floodplain regulations and incorporating advanced storm water mitigation strategies.
Vanderbilt plans to welcome nearly 1,000 students to the campus, offering graduate-level programs in business, engineering, and computing-focused fields. The university is working with the Florida Commission for Independent Education to design academic programming and will seek necessary approvals from accreditors and regulatory bodies.
The West Palm Beach campus is part of Vanderbilt’s broader initiative to expand its reach and impact globally, creating new opportunities for students, faculty, alumni, and supporters.
“If you look at the next stage of where Palm Beach County’s economy is going, we know that this will help us recruit and attract top-tier talent and top-tier companies to this area with their global reputation as a prestigious university,” Smallridge said.
In an e-mail, a Vanderbilt spokesperson did not provide a date when they plan to start construction or a date when they hope to open the West Palm Beach campus. He also did not say how much of the $300 million they’ve raised for the project.
SOURCE: CBS12 News
GALLERY: Vanderbilt unveils vision for West Palm Beach business and tech campus
