New Construction

Stetson University to Build New Science Complex

• By Matt Jones
• 05/18/21

Stetson University, located in DeLand, Fla., has announced plans to break ground this fall on a new science facility. The Cici & Hyatt Brown Hall for Health & Innovation will measure in at 40,000 square feet and connect to the existing Sage Hall Science Center to form a 120,000-square-foot science complex for students enrolled in health science, environmental science, and other disciplines. The new building’s construction is scheduled for completion in fall 2022.

The project also involves renovations and updates to Sage Hall, which are slated to be finished by fall 2021. These renovations include a cluster of research labs, including four separate research spaces for cell tissue culture and molecular and microscopy research. The vertebrate anatomy teaching lab will see the addition of an Anatomage Table featuring a fully segmented, 3-D human anatomy system. Additionally, there will be more formal and informal collaboration spaces and updates to the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) infrastructure.

“The university’s vision for the new building is to create spaces and experiences that will allow ideas, learning, and interests to converge an evolve into groundbreaking discoveries and innovative pedagogy,” said Bonita Dukes, the associate vice president for facilities management.

Brown Hall will create spaces for the university’s health and environmental science, sustainable food system, counselor education, public health, and community engagement programs. Some of its facilities will include active learning classrooms and research pods, wet teaching labs, a play therapy room, an environmental field studies mud room, and a SMART Lab. It will also include a teaching/community garden and greenhouse, as well as a new teaching kitchen. The facility will serve as the new home of the Stetson Center for Optimal Health Across the Lifespan.

“Brown Hall and a renovated Sage Hall will provide expanded space for majors, such as Health Sciences, Biology and Public Health that have grown substantially over the last few years,” said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Elizabeth Skomp, PhD. “I’m particularly excited about the experiential learning opportunities that will arise from the teaching kitchen and community garden, the potential for community connections in spaces such as the Center for Optimal Health Across the Lifespan, and grant-seeking potential in areas such as the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) Lab.”