University of Cincinnati Plans Demolition, Replacement of Campus Landmark

The University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, recently announced plans to demolish and replace campus landmark Crosley Tower, according to local news. The 16-story concrete structure is set for to come down beginning in January 2026 to make room for a new academic and research facility.

The new facility is part of a $240-million project outlined in recently filed bidding documents that will rearrange and improve a variety of teaching and research spaces around campus. According to Local12 news, construction on the new building will begin in January 2027 and has an estimated completion date of June 2029.

The university’s Office of Planning+Design+Construction determined that repairs to Crosley Tower—which was built in 1969—would be too difficult, reports Cincinnati.com. The tower houses labs for chemistry and biology classes. Work will take place in three phases. The first is to abate the presence of asbestos, mercury, and lead; the second is demolition; and the third is new construction. Construction has an estimated budget of $215 million.

Local news reports that the university has been considering the decision to demolish the building for about five years. The building was at 50% capacity in 2018, when the university issued a timeframe of tearing it down within the next five to ten years. In 2020, the university reported that demolition could start as soon as 2025.

According to the bidding documents, the program’s objectives include the creation of new flexible, open-bay experimental research labs and supporting research facilities; new flexible teaching labs; new standardized researcher and faculty offices; new general-purpose, centrally scheduled classrooms; and student success and collaboration spaces.

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.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • 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.