Fox School at Temple to Begin Renovation Project at 1810 Liacouras Walk
The Fox School of Business at Temple University has received approval to begin an on-campus renovation project that will enhance the on-campus experience and better serve its growing student body.
Renovation of 1810 Liacouras Walk, which is located adjacent to the Fox School’s Alter Hall, began in August. The project will be completed by the start of the 2018-19 academic year, coinciding with Fox’s celebration of its 100th anniversary. Expansion into 1810 Liacouras Walk will create additional classroom space, improve the accessibility of its university-wide Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI), and meet the needs of the Fox School’s growing student body and faculty. The building will offer 77,000 square feet of available space, with the addition of an atrium and an additional floor.
“I am pleased that we have received approval to begin this important project,” says M. Moshe Porat, dean of the Fox School of Business. “The growth of our student body and our faculty is a testament to the momentum of our school and the rankings our academic programs have attained. The space at 1810 Liacouras Walk will support our commitment to several of our academic pillars, and improve the accessibility of services we provide.”
Expansion into the site at 1810 Liacouras Walk recently received approval from the Temple University Board of Trustees, as well as the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The façade of 1810 Liacouras Walk will not be altered, as it is protected as part of the city’s Park Avenue Historic District.
The renovation project, which is being financed through a combination of school and philanthropic contributions, includes the construction of an enclosed skywalk connecting the third floor of Speakman Hall and the fourth floor of 1810 Liacouras Walk. Alter and Speakman halls are home to the Fox School of Business and the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. The skywalk will allow for easier and safer transfer of technology and students between the buildings.
The project also will increase the visibility of Temple’s nationally recognized entrepreneurship resources. A university-wide resource available to students from all of Temple’s 17 schools and colleges, IEI will occupy the first floor of 1810 Liacouras Walk. In 2016, Temple was one of four universities nationally to have both its undergraduate- and graduate-level entrepreneurship programs ranked among the top 10 nationally by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine.
Expansion into 1810 Liacouras Walk also will feature the relocation of several Fox-specific departments and academic centers.
The sixth floor will house Fox’s Online & Digital Learning Team, which designs, films, and produces video offerings for Fox’s renowned online-specific programs — including the No. 1-ranked Online MBA and No. 2-ranked Online BBA programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The Fox School’s Business Communication Center will reside on the second floor, along with members of Fox’s faculty who teach Business Communication. The school’s Marketing and Communication division will relocate to this floor, as well.
The school’s Department of Statistical Science and Fox’s Office of Research, Doctoral Programs and Strategic Initiatives will occupy the third and fourth floors, respectively. The fifth floor will be reserved for Fox’s Center for Executive Education.