Florida Construction News staff writer
Vanderbilt University announced last week that it will proceed with a planned graduate campus in West Palm Beach and launch a new $250 million phase of fundraising for the project.
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said early donations from key supporters have enabled the university to move forward, and the Board of Trust has authorized development to begin.
“Today marks a launching point—a new age for Vanderbilt as a multicampus university, a new chapter in the civic life of the Palm Beach region, and a new phase in our fundraising effort to bring the innovative vision for our West Palm Beach campus fully to life,” Diermeier said. “We are creating programs that reimagine business and engineering education in the age of technology.”
The planned campus will occupy seven acres of government-owned land donated by the city and county with unanimous approval in fall 2024. Vanderbilt will seek regulatory approval to offer graduate programs in business, management, engineering, space and defense technology, finance, innovation, and artificial intelligence. The campus will also provide executive education, workforce training, and semester-away opportunities for undergraduates.
Officials said the campus will integrate into West Palm Beach’s growing downtown innovation district, creating a local talent pipeline and supporting the region’s expanding finance and technology sectors.
Mayor Keith A. James called the campus “a transformative moment for West Palm Beach” that will build the skilled workforce companies need and strengthen the city’s role as an innovation hub.
Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter said the project reflects the region’s commitment to high-impact development that benefits residents.
Vanderbilt plans to finalize designs, advance preconstruction activities, and prepare to break ground while continuing fundraising and finalizing academic programs.
