Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The Ups and Downs of Campus Construction

  • By Deb Moore
  • 02/01/10
There are ups — and there are downs. In 1995, when College Planning & Management came on the scene, $6.1B worth of college construction was put in place. By 2000, college construction was shifting into high gear. During three years — 2005, 2006, and 2007 — college construction completed averaged almost $14.7B. This year the figures are not nearly as positive. According to the College Planning & Management’s 15th Annual College Construction Report, college construction completed in 2009 fell to just $10.7B, the lowest it has been since 2001 (you can find the complete Construction Report with national and regional data on our Website). The effects of the recession have hit hard, reducing the value of endowments, lessening donations, and slowing construction — delaying some projects and putting others on hold. But with education being a priority of President Obama, politicians, and the public — when the economy turns, I am sure that investments in education will lead the way.

To be sure that we are ready to build the safest and best campuses possible when the funds are available, you may notice some changes in the magazine. First is the addition of a new column by Mike Halligan on fire and life safety. Mike is the associate director of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Utah and is responsible for Fire Prevention and Special Events Life safety. In Mike’s column, you can look forward to hearing about performance-based code solutions for campus building projects, as well as other important aspects of fire and life safety. You can read Mike’s first column on page 10 in this issue.

You may also notice a new URL for our Website. Through the years we have developed a number of sites to house our research and article archive; a comprehensive buyers’ guide for education; and our education design showcase, a database containing hundreds of college and university projects. All of these sites are now linked through one portal — planning4education.com. While the economy is making things a little harder for all of us, we hope to make things a little easier for you!

Featured

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • Wyoming District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Laramie County School District #1 in Cheyenne, Wy., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School, according to a news release. The facility has an estimated completion date of summer 2028, and it will have the capacity for 650 students in fifth and sixth grade.

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.