Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Howard University Launches $785M Campus Master Plan

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/09/23

Howard University in Washington, D.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for significant renovations to the 109-year-old Myrtilla Miner Building, according to a news release. The renovations mark the first step in a $785-million campus master plan that includes the construction of three new academic buildings and renovations to others by 2026.

After the restoration is complete, the Miner Building will become a shared space for interdisciplinary education between the Howard University School of Education and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, the news release reports. The Miner Building was originally built between 1913–14 and has a place on the National Register of Historic Places for both its historical and architectural significance. The press release reports that the three-story building has gone almost unused for decades because of its need for renovations.

“This really is a full-circle moment in Howard’s history,” said Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA. “As we embark on this venture to create a space that meets the needs of the 21st-century classroom, a space that connects educators and students at such critical moments in their subsequent learning journeys, we recognize the significance of being able to do that in a building that holds a legacy of educating some of the nation’s first Black teachers. Moreover, as we work to preserve that legacy, we also understand the importance of preserving the most beautiful and historic parts of the physical space, through the halls of which countless changemakers have crossed.”

The renovation work will preserve the building’s hallmark architectural features including two-story arched windows, limestone baseboards along the corridors, and two grand staircases. Most of the work will be improving the building’s interior.

“The restoration of the Miner building represents an exciting step in our journey to revitalize Howard University’s campus,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Rashad Young. “We have a fantastic team of dedicated builders, architects, and project managers led by our Real Estate Development and Capital Asset Management (REDCAM) division that will ensure this project does justice to the incredible history of this building, and that it is set up to provide the School of Education and Middle School a top-tier educational experience.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.