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

  • William Penn Charter School

    Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Richard A. Balderston OPC’69 Lower School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Cleveland High School Breaks Ground on Modernization

    Portland Public Schools in Portland, Ore., recently announced that construction has begun on a modernization project for Cleveland High School, according to a news release. The existing building will be replaced with a new, 300,000-square-foot facility at the same site.