Quinnipiac University Plans $244M Construction Project

• By Matt Jones
• 02/10/22

The Board of Trustees at Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel Campus in Hamden, Conn., recently approved the construction of three new buildings on campus. Two new academic buildings and a new residence hall will come together to form a new “South Quad” area, which is designed to support students’ academic success and provide faculty with upgraded facilities for research and more modern teaching styles.

The board has approved a budget of $244 million for the project, which will come from a mix of the university’s endowment, debt financing and philanthropy. According to a news release, plans are still in the design phase and subject to town approval. All three buildings are set for completion by 2024.

According to local news, the construction project is part of the next phase of the university’s 10-year master facilities plan. The university has experienced high space demand for years, which university provost Debra Liebowitz called “one of the critical problems we have faced” in May 2021. COVID-19 protocols and social distancing only exacerbated the university’s need for more space for faculty offices and student labs.

“This unprecedented set of investments—the first stand-alone new buildings on the Mount Carmel Campus since the early ‘90s—will enable necessary advances in academic, research and student learning-living experiences at Quinnipiac for years to come,” said University President Judy D. Olian. “They are critical in achieving the ambitious goals articulated in our strategic plan as we create the University of the Future.”

The proposed new constructions include a new business school, a new general academic building and a new residence hall. According to a university news release, the new School of Business will measure in at 79,000 square feet and include a Business Innovation Hub to help students test new ideas. It will also include a financial technology center with trading platforms, data systems and investment tools; office space; and a flexible lecture space that can accommodate up to 150 people. Beneath the new facility will reside a new, “environmentally conscious” central energy plant.

The new General Academic Building (137,000 square feet) will include wet and dry labs, a greenhouse and an animal habitat, space to expand computing programs, classrooms and collaborative spaces, and faculty offices. It will also contain an auditorium designed to seat 600–800 people.

Finally, the new residence hall will contain space for 417 beds in both single and double rooms. It will feature amenities like modern HVAC systems, gathering spaces, student lounges and an outdoor courtyard. Early design plans have revealed the possibility of a green roof with solar panels and/or live vegetation for energy generation. The university has said that it will aim to achieve LEED certification with all three new constructions.

“These new major building projects signify Trustees’ conviction about Quinnipiac‘s bright future,” said Arthur Rice, Board of Trustees chairman. “Quinnipiac has long been a leader in positioning its students for successful careers and fulfilling lives, and these buildings will add to these distinctions while supporting advanced faculty research and immersive teaching approaches.”