Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ohio State University Approves Two Major Construction Projects

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/25/23

The Board of Trustees at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, recently approved two major construction projects on education and research facilities, according to local news. At its May 18 meeting, it approved contracts for the renovation of Campbell Hall—part of the College of Education and Human Ecology—as well as Phase 2 of the new Biomedical and Materials Engineering Complex (BMEC) for the College of Engineering.

 BMEC Phase 2 will cost $90 million and measure in at 125,000 square feet. Phase 1 of the project, the Mars G. Fontana Laboratories, was completed in August 2020 and united the Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering Departments. Phase 2 of the project, nicknamed “The Gateway to Engineering,” will include amenities like STEM-focused teaching labs, a Leadership Suite for College of Engineering Leadership, and space for the materials research group from the Department of Electrical Engineering. The new facility is scheduled for completion in Sept. 2025.

Meanwhile, the Board also approved the last $49 million for the $61.2-million renovation of Campbell Hall, home to the College of Education and Human Ecology. Funding is coming from private donations, state-awarded funds, and university funds, according to a university news release. Completion is scheduled for June 2025.

“This supports the College of Education and Human Ecology’s educational goals and admissions by providing an updated space for collaborative work and a hands-on learning environment,” said Mark Conselyea, Facilities Operations and Development vice president. “The project renovates 115,000 square feet of existing offices, research and computer labs, a teaching kitchen, and classrooms.”

Local news reports that the university is also finishing construction on a number of projects scheduled to open in coming months. The five-story Pelotonia Research Center celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month. Renovations to Newton Hall, part of the College of Nursing, will debut in June. The James Outpatient Care facility—an outpatient cancer research and treatment facility—is planned to open in July. Construction on the university’s new Arts District will finish with the completion of the new Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts building scheduled to open in time for the fall. And the 66,000-square-foot Energy Advancement and Innovation Center is anticipated to open in October.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Tomball ISD Opens New Tomball West High School

    Tomball Independent School District in Tomball, Texas, recently celebrated the official opening of Tomball West High School, the district's third comprehensive high school, with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to a district news release.