University of Utah to Expand Applied Sciences Building

The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, is set to begin construction on renovations and additions to its applied sciences building. Work will start in early October and consist of renovating 40,000 square feet inside the William Stewart Building for Applied Sciences, as well as building a 100,000-square-foot addition on the building’s west side.

The building will play home to the Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences, according to a news release, uniting students and faculty of aerospace, biotechnology, semiconductor technology, data science, air quality, and hazardous weather forecasting under one roof.

A news release reports that the new facility will offer a 56-percent increase in space for experimental and computer labs. The project comes with a price tag of about $84.6 million; of that, $60 million has been requested from the state, and the remainder will come from private funding. The university has already received donor commitments totaling $11 million.

One major impetus of the historic building’s renovation is the rising cost of maintenance issues, according to the university website. “[Maintenance] costs will only escalate and still barely stay ahead of their failing systems. The current state of these aging facilities and failing infrastructure places them in immediate crisis,” according to a 2018 Feasibility Study.

The university is partnering with DFCM Construction on the building’s construction. The new facility is scheduled to open its doors to students in August 2024.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.