FAU Temporarily Closes Building that Opened This Year

Florida Atlantic University’s John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter, Fla., recently announced the temporary closure of an academic building that was completed in Nov. 2022 and opened in January of this year, according to local news. The university announced that residents of the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute building will be displaced for about six months following problems with its control systems.

The university partnered with the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation for the building’s development, according to the University Press, and its mission is focused on education, research, and community outreach. Research focuses on brain disorders including autism, addiction, brain cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The facility stands three stories and measures in at 58,000 square feet. The Palm Beach Post reports that the building’s final inspection—conducted by a state fire marshal and the university’s building code administrator—did not reveal the problem that caused the building’s closure. University spokeswoman Cara Perry said that the building was evacuated out of “an abundance of caution” and that “progress is being made” toward the problem’s resolution.

“The Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute building on FAU’s MacArthur campus in Jupiter is undergoing an evaluation of its building services systems due to some apparent malfunctions,” said Joshua Glanzer, FAU Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Media Relations. “In an abundance of caution, most of the occupants of the building have moved to alternate spaces on the Jupiter campus while these issues are evaluated and addressed. Initial estimates suggest the project may take up to six months, but it is far too early to establish a firm time frame. The Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute’s work and operations will be uninterrupted during this time.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • 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).

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Arlington High School

    Arlington High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Arlington High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.