Vanderbilt wants to build a $520M West Palm Beach campus

Vanderbilt University pitched county leaders on a $520 million campus in downtown West Palm Beach.

The Nashville-based “Southern Ivy” officially presented its vision for a graduate campus with artificial intelligence, data science and business programs during the Palm Beach County commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, following months of behind-the-scenes talks. 

Commissioners responded favorably to the proposal, and indicated an interest in moving quickly to make a deal with the university to grant it county-owned land for the campus. 

Vanderbilt is requesting 12 county-owned lots on Datura and Evernia streets, between South Sapodilla and South Tamarind avenues. That’s in addition to eight neighboring lots West Palm Beach agreed to donate to the university during a city commission meeting Monday. 

Vanderbilt plans to spend $267.7 million on academic buildings, $217.4 million on student housing and $34.6 million on parking facilities, with estimated construction costs totaling $519.6 million, documents show. 

University officials repeatedly emphasized their commitment to collaborating with and investing in both West Palm Beach and the broader county. 

“It’s not a satellite campus, it’s a second campus,” said Nathan Green, Vanderbilt’s vice chancellor for public affairs. “We see you as the perfect partner.”

Local officials spoke of the proposal as an “inflection point,” establishing West Palm Beach as a hub for business and innovation. 

“I would urge you to recognize the significance of this moment before us,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James. “The actions we take today will undoubtedly shape the future of this county for generations to come.”

Steve Ross, billionaire head of West Palm Beach developer Related Ross and owner of the Miami Dolphins, spoke in favor of the campus, invoking the impact of Stanford University as an incubator for Silicon Valley’s tech industry and economic boom.

“This whole county in the future will become what Silicon Valley is today,” Ross prophesied. “To pass up this opportunity would be a crime.”

Ross, who founded Related Companies more than 52 years ago, and whose Related Ross is the biggest office property owner in downtown West Palm Beach, has been pushing to expand educational offerings in the county for years. He was a proponent of a University of Florida graduate campus that was planned for West Palm Beach until the project fell apart last year. He is among the developers campaigning to bring more private K-12 schools to the county, and in April hosted a fundraiser for the Vanderbilt project at his home in Palm Beach, Bloomberg reported. 

“There’s no place that’s ever grown that doesn’t have great universities, great schools,” he said at the county commission meeting.

The proposed campus is adjacent to Ross’ mixed-use development CityPlace, which is a focal point of his office and luxury residential developments in West Palm Beach. Last month, he stepped down from his chairman role at Related Companies to launch Related Ross, and focus completely on his developments in South Florida. 

“This is a really important moment for this county,” he said. “I believe that all of Palm Beach County will become the most important county in this country.”