Marquette University Opens Business School’s New Home

Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., recently opened the doors to its newest academic building, Dr. E. J. and Margaret O’Brien Hall. University news reports that the building will serve as the new home for Marquette Business and its associated leadership innovation programs, and faculty and staff have already started moving in.

The 100,000-square-foot facility came with a price tag of $60 million and is the largest fully donor-funded construction project in Marquette history, according to the news release. O’Brien Hall features amenities like collaborative classrooms, lab and study spaces, an event space, an open atrium, a café, and administrative space. It also features student support areas like a Student Success Center and a Business Career Center.

“O’Brien Hall welcoming its first occupants is another exciting milestone for this landmark project,” said Tim Hanley, acting Keyes Dean of Business Administration. “The new home for Marquette Business and innovation leadership programs has, since its earliest concepts, promised to be a hub of innovative, collaborative spaces where students, faculty, staff, and the business community will interact in meaningful ways. This building has always been about people—today, I’m pleased to say the people have arrived.”

About ten faculty and staff members, including the Executive Associate Dean and other members of the leadership team, have moved in. Remaining faculty and staff will transfer between Dec. 14 and Dec. 21, and the building will open its doors to students and classes at the beginning of the spring 2023 semester.

The new facility is located next to the Opus College of Engineering, and one space in O’Brien Hall is designated for collaboration between engineering and business students as part of the university’s Innovation Alley Program.

Local news reports that the university partnered with BNIM and Workshop Architects for the building’s design, and that J.H. Findorff & Son served as the general contractor.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Image credit: O

    Strategic Campus Assessment: Moving Beyond Reactive Maintenance in Educational Facilities

    While campuses may appear stable on the surface, building systems naturally evolve over time, and proactive assessment can identify developing issues before they become expensive emergencies. The question isn't whether aging educational facilities need attention. It's how institutions can transition from costly reactive maintenance to strategic asset management in a way that protects both budgets and communities.

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

  • North Dakota State University Completes Music School Renovation

    North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently announced that construction on the Challey School of Music has finished, according to a news release. The university partnered with Foss Architecture & Interiors for design and Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and construction began in July 2024.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.

Digital Edition