Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Howard University Announces $785M Construction, Renovation Plan

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/31/22

Howard University in Washington, D.C., recently announced plans for a $785-million construction initiative that will involve building three new academic halls and renovating multiple existing structures around campus. The project is the largest construction real estate investment in the school’s history, according to a news release. Construction is scheduled to begin this year and be completed by 2026.

The development is part of a phased Central Campus Master Plan that was announced in 2020 in response to an increase in enrollment and philanthropic investments. The Washington Post reports that enrollment jumped by 28 percent in two years, from 9,399 students in fall 2019 to 12,065 students in fall 2021.

 $670 million will go toward the new construction of three new academic halls. The Health Sciences Complex will play home to the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. The Center for Arts and Communications will house the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. Finally, the STEM Center will contain STEM programs like chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, math and related lab spaces.

The three facilities will be the campus’ first new academic buildings since 1984.

“This is a watershed moment in the history of our institution,” said Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “Because of the tremendously enhanced financial posture we have worked so hard to achieve, the state of the University has never been stronger. The leadership of our board and executive team—along with the caliber of students we have enrolled, the illustrious faculty we have assembled, the dedicated staff we have hired, and the committed alumni base we have cultivated—presents an opportunity for us to solidify Howard’s status as one of the preeminent institutions of higher education in the country.”

The initiative also includes renovations to the Myrtilla Miner Building, which will house the School of Education and the Howard University Middle School for Mathematics and Science.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.