Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Delaware Tops Off Newest Academic Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/24/23

The University of Delaware in Newark, Del., recently celebrated a “topping off” ceremony for its latest academic building—a 131,000-square-foot facility for the College of Arts and Sciences, currently known as “Building X,” according to local news. The Newark Post reports that the state governor, city mayor, and university officials gathered last Thursday to sign the final, ceremonial beam before it was placed in the roof of the four-story structure. The project broke ground in 2022 and is scheduled to open in 2024.

The project comes with an estimated cost of $165 million and will play home to classrooms and research spaces for the biology, psychology, brain sciences, and physics and astronomy departments, local news reports. A university news release from November 2022 called the new facility a “science collider,” intended to serve as an interdisciplinary space and to encourage collaboration between various disciplines.

The building will also feature an outdoor quad featuring gathering spaces, grassy areas, and rain gardens, according to the Newark Post.

“This interdisciplinary science building at the heart of the UD campus will catalyze cutting-edge research in the fields of human disease, developmental disorders, neuroscience and human behavior, and educate more than 1,000 students a year in those critical areas of healthcare need,” said University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis. “In addition, by enhancing collaborative partnerships with the state and beyond, this new facility will be an invaluable asset for our entire community for generations to come.”

The university partnered with HGA Architects for the building’s design and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company for its construction. It received $41 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the remainder came from university funds and philanthropic donations.

The university news release also reports that sustainability initiatives will include solar panels, as well as aiming for the City of Newark’s construction standard for sustainability, similar to a LEED Silver certification.

The new facility will replace McKinly Lab, which was damaged by fire in August 2017 and recently demolished to make room for construction.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • New City School

    Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Transforming New City School

    When New City School in St. Louis suffered catastrophic flood damage in July 2022, the event could have marked a serious setback for the 100-year-old institution. Instead, it became a forward-looking opportunity.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Malibu High School Campus Completes $102M Phase 1 of Construction

    Malibu High School in Malibu, Calif., recently announced that it has completed phase 1 of construction for its new campus, a news release reports. The first phase consisted of developing and modernizing the site of a former elementary school into a new, 70,000-square-foot, two-story facility.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

Digital Edition