Gainesville, Fla. -The Florida athletic program has taken the next step in the restoration of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium by hiring Crawford Architects, in association with Gensler, to formally begin developing renovation, construction and phasing options for The Swamp.
Built in 1930, the iconic Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is set to undergo a significant transformation to modernize the fan experience while maintaining many of the traditional elements, atmosphere, and capacity that Gator fans have enjoyed on game day over the years.
The design team will review recent comprehensive athletic department studies, and advance plans and concepts to touch every facet of the fan experience. The goal is to preserve the energy and history of the stadium while upgrading the concourses, entry gates, seating, concessions areas and restrooms and enhancements to video boards and sound system.
The design group will work with a future Construction Management firm with a goal of having the entire project team in place by January of 2024.
“We are looking forward to working alongside the design team on this historic venture,” said Athletics Director Scott Stricklin. “The coming months will provide specifics on what improvements fans can look forward to, along with details on timeline and costs for the project.”
“The Crawford Architects Team is honored by this selection and look forward to collaborating with the University of Florida on this transformational project,” said David Murphy, owner, and senior principal with Crawford Architects. “The Swamp is one of, if not the most iconic stadium in football. The building and its unique features offer a wealth of ‘design assets’ that the Crawford Team will draw on to create an enhanced game-day experience.”
Initial financial estimates for the project, which will adhere to University policies and procedures during all phases, begin at approximately $400 million. The financial model will be similar to previous Gator facility projects with an aggressive fundraising campaign to anchor the funding efforts.
About Crawford Architects
Crawford Architects is an award-winning planning, architecture, and interior design firm headquartered in Kansas City with offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Honolulu and Sydney, Australia. As a firm focused on sports facility design, Crawford Architects prides itself on a personalized and tailored approach by specializing in all aspects of planning and design related to stadium facilities that anchor campus and mixed-use developments. Founded in 2001, Crawford Architects has a deep portfolio of historic renovation projects across the United States. Our work is guided by our mission to create distinguished architecture that is contextually well placed, for fans, student athletes and the community served. Learn more at crawfordarch.com<https://crawfordarch.com/>.
About Gensler
Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 53 locations and more than 7,000 professionals networked across the Americas, Europe, Greater China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Founded in 1965, the firm works globally with more than 4,000 clients across more than 33 practice areas spanning the work, lifestyle, community, and health sectors. We are guided by our mission to create a better world through the power of design, and the source of our strength is our people. By leveraging our diversity of ideas, our research and innovation, our shared values, and our One-Firm Firm culture, we are working seamlessly as a borderless firm in 140 countries and making the greatest impact on our communities as we continue to tackle the world’s challenges. Learn more at gensler.com<https://www.gensler.com/>.
