Colorado State University Starts Construction on Liberal Arts Building Renovation

Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., recently began construction on a $137-million renovation project to one of its largest academic buildings, according to local news.
Last week, one of the three wings of Clark Hall (“Clark B”) was demolished to clear the way for a ground-up replacement. Once work on Clark B is complete, a second wing (“Clark A”) will undergo major renovations, according to CBS News. No renovation work is currently scheduled for the third wing, “Clark C.”

“The complex will serve nearly every undergraduate student on campus at some point in their academic career at CSU,” said Ryan Claycomb, College of Liberal Arts project lead and associate dean for faculty affairs, in a local news article. “When the project is complete, we truly expect this building complex to be the heart and hub of much of the academic activity on campus.”

The university estimates that 97% of undergraduate students who attend the Fort Collins campus will have at least one class in the Clark building during a four-year academic career. “The Clark building hosts more students than any other building on campus,” said Greg Luft, CSU journalism professor and graduate.

Construction on Clark B is scheduled to begin in November 2024, providing an additional 90,000 square feet of academic and office space. The university was recently granted state funding to put the project into motion. The exterior of Clark A will be renovated to match the B wing. The move is triggered by the building’s age, with “clear evidence of parts of the staircases and façade literally falling apart,” CBS News reports.

The project is scheduled for completion by May 2026, according to the university website.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Barbara Vick Western Branch has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.