Episcopal School of Jacksonville needed a new center for science and student life.

Episcopal School of Jacksonville, a college-preparatory school that combines faith, athletics and academics, set out to strengthen its science curriculum and expand student-life facilities on the Munnerlyn Campus. The school first engaged Haskell and a local architect Dasher Hurst for preconstruction services, then selected Haskell as design-builder for the new Science and Student Life Center.

The 37,000-square-foot facility added labs, maker spaces and dining facilities.

Located on the banks of the St. Johns River, the building includes three fully equipped chemistry labs, five biology labs and three technology labs that support students in robotics, marine biology, medicine and more. Multipurpose maker spaces serve technology and innovation programs. The first floor houses a new kitchen and dining hall twice the size of the school’s previous kitchen, with indoor and outdoor dining areas. Gathering spaces and meeting rooms on the upper floors support student well-being alongside academic work. The building was part of Boldly ESJ, the largest capital campaign in the school’s history, which raised more than $19 million toward a $26 million goal.

Early preconstruction established a budget the school could carry forward.

Although Episcopal needed a detailed budget to secure board approval and fundraising, the conceptual design that would inform that budget was not yet complete. While Haskell wasn’t the primary architect, the team reviewed the early design, defined the scope of work and developed a detailed budget before design advanced. That work gave the school a cost framework for fundraising and a roadmap for making future design decisions.

Construction planning protected daily campus operations.

Construction of the new Science and Student Life Center had to proceed alongside active classes on campus. Haskell planned work around campus access and safety, separating construction traffic from student traffic and sequencing disruptive activities for breaks, summers or off-hours when possible. This approach kept the project schedule on time without disrupting Munnerlyn’s activities and, most importantly, keeping students safe.

The center supports students’ ambitions in STEM education.

The new Haskell Center for Science and Student Life supports Episcopal’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum, encouraging students to take their studies further. The center stands as the centerpiece of Boldly ESJ and a long-term investment in the school’s students and faculty.