UNC-Chapel Hill Breaks Ground on New Business School
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, located in Chapel Hill, N.C., recently broke ground on a new $150-million business school. The future Steven D. Bell Hall will play home to the Kenan-Flagler Business School to modernize its facilities and allow the school to accommodate about 50% more undergraduate students, according to university news.
Student media reports that about $75 million in funds are coming from the North Carolina General Assembly and the other $75 million from private funding. The building’s namesake, Steven D. Bell, and his wife, Jackie Bell, have pledged $25 million toward the building’s construction.
“In life, few people have the opportunity to influence thousands of young people,” said Bell. “I am honored and humbled to be able to help double the size of the Undergraduate Business Program. These young entrepreneurs will make North Carolina a strong and more productive place for all of us to live and work.”
The new facility will feature adaptable classrooms that allow for a variety of layouts based on teaching styles and the needs of a particular class. Installed technology will allow for both hybrid and online classes. The building will feature a four-story interior atrium and a tiered, 50-seat outdoor teaching space, according to university news.
Sustainability efforts will include use of solar panels, open-air terraces and large windows. The building is set to meet LEED Gold standards and will target meeting LEED Platinum standards, as well.
“The new, state-of-the-art building will advance our critical mission and expand our impact,” said Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This building will enable us to teach and train more students and leaders for the future. This space will strengthen our culture of collaboration and help build our community together.”
University news reports that construction is scheduled to take a little more than two years.
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].