Auburn University Breaks Ground on STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex

Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently announced that construction on a new STEM and Agriculture Sciences Complex has begun, according to a news release. The new facility measures in at 285,000 square feet and will cost an estimated $184 million. The university is partnering with Hoar Construction, construction manager JE Dunn, and designers of record Goodywn Mills Cawood & Lord Aeck Sargent on the project, which has an estimated completion date of summer 2026.

The complex features three buildings connected via pedestrian bridges and a shared basement. Each building will include teaching labs with state-of-the-art technology, research labs, a teaching garden, and communal spaces, the news release reports. It will provide a centralized space for the university’s Departments of Biological Sciences; Geosciences; Mathematics and Statistics; Crop, Soils & Environmental Sciences; and more. Certain spaces will also be equipped to house aquatic animals and insects.

“We are honored to have been chosen to oversee construction of this state-of-the-art development, which is one of the highest dollar-value projects in Auburn’s history,” said Hoar Project Manager Joel Brown. “This complex is set to greatly enhance the learning experience and capabilities for Auburn’s students and will pave the way for our next generation of leaders within science, technology and agriculture. We look forward to working alongside our invaluable project partners to deliver this project on time and without any disruptions to student life.”

The news release reports that once construction is complete, the facility will aim to achieve LEED Silver Status.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Minnesota District Converts Middle School into Community Hub

    White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced the end of a major renovation project that converted a former middle school into a new centralized district and community hub, according to a news release.

  • nursing students talk while studying in a hallway

    Elsevier Launches VR Simulation Solution for Nursing Students

    Elsevier has introduced Shadow Health Lab with Virtual Reality, a simulation platform that allows nursing students to interact with virtual patients and build clinical judgment skills in a safe, realistic environment.