Howard University Launches $785M Campus Master Plan
Howard University in Washington, D.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for significant renovations to the 109-year-old Myrtilla Miner Building, according to a news release. The renovations mark the first step in a $785-million campus master plan that includes the construction of three new academic buildings and renovations to others by 2026.
After the restoration is complete, the Miner Building will become a shared space for interdisciplinary education between the Howard University School of Education and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, the news release reports. The Miner Building was originally built between 1913–14 and has a place on the National Register of Historic Places for both its historical and architectural significance. The press release reports that the three-story building has gone almost unused for decades because of its need for renovations.
“This really is a full-circle moment in Howard’s history,” said Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA. “As we embark on this venture to create a space that meets the needs of the 21st-century classroom, a space that connects educators and students at such critical moments in their subsequent learning journeys, we recognize the significance of being able to do that in a building that holds a legacy of educating some of the nation’s first Black teachers. Moreover, as we work to preserve that legacy, we also understand the importance of preserving the most beautiful and historic parts of the physical space, through the halls of which countless changemakers have crossed.”
The renovation work will preserve the building’s hallmark architectural features including two-story arched windows, limestone baseboards along the corridors, and two grand staircases. Most of the work will be improving the building’s interior.
“The restoration of the Miner building represents an exciting step in our journey to revitalize Howard University’s campus,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Rashad Young. “We have a fantastic team of dedicated builders, architects, and project managers led by our Real Estate Development and Capital Asset Management (REDCAM) division that will ensure this project does justice to the incredible history of this building, and that it is set up to provide the School of Education and Middle School a top-tier educational experience.”
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Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.