Keys to the Community
Housing & Florida Gators Athletics set a major key for success
In August 2015, the Keys Complex began a new era at
the University of Florida. It was not just the beginning
of a celebration of 25 years of existence, but also the
celebration of some key updates to this facility. The
Keys Complex, named after the Florida Keys themselves
and sits on the land that once housed military veterans,
opened its doors on some new renovations to just over
half of the residential house s.
by SEAN R. JOHNSON
Photos provided by AARON BROME
MATT PENDLETON, & JULIA MCBEE
Alumni to our housing department might have seen Keys
as a place that was an apartment-style community that
allowed 4 residents to enjoy being in the company of
each other. Some might remember the Keys Complex as
being known as “the place where residents and staff go
to retire.” With these new renovations, the Keys Complex
was making the efforts to solidify itself as a new and
improved community where residents of all types could
come
together.
Speaking of coming together, that has been the key
throughout this project as now after the start of the
2016-2017 academic year we have completed not only
expected renovations on the residential buildings, but
also unexpected renovations on the Keys Commons.
All of these renovations speak to the importance of
community.
Upgrades include new living room furniture and
flat screen TVs with wireless Internet.
to the internet. Since then, the residential buildings which
were a part of phase two included bathroom renovations
with tub showers being converted to stall showers.
You still might be wondering why these renovations are
important and though it has already been stated that
it was about an experience of community, you truly do
have to understand the history of UF Housing in Keys
and also housing for student-athletes.
Keys has been seen as a facility that mainly housed upper
class students as you needed a certain amount of credit
hours. For some time, we did keep this policy and then
within the last couple years we have moved away from
this. At the same time, the Keys Complex has housed
student-athletes, but not as many as it does now. Many
might remember Yon Hall being a part of the “hub”
for student-athletes. It was then in 1995, that Springs
Complex opened after a decision was made by the NCAA
that student-athlete only housing was needing to be
reviewed.
Norb Dunkel stands outside a Keys Complex
house with the newly renovated enclosure.
For some time, there was conversation surrounding the
potential to enclose the Keys residential buildings as well
as what improvements could be made to this facility.
After some collaborative conversations with the
University Athletic Association (UAA), it was decided
that not only would the residential buildings be enclosed,
the apartments themselves would be renovated to
create an updated living environment that our residents
would want as well as one that could be used to aid in
recruitment for some of our student-athletes.
This project would be a two phase project and originally
was going to include enclosure of the buildings, new
laminate vinyl tile, full-sized beds, new stainless steel
appliances, new vanity areas, new living room furniture,
and a flat screen TV mounted that was already connected
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HRE ALUMNI MAGAZINE | UF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Springs
Complex,
along with Lakeside
and Keys Complex
for years became
the main location for
housing the majority
of student-athletes.
We now come back
to this current year
and both our housing
department and UAA
have begun a new view
on the importance
of collaboration and
community.
Both
entities wanted to find
a way to enhance the
experience for their
populations. This task
was more than just
physically updating a
Each building now requires an
eletronic fob to access the inside.