Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/03/26

Key Takeaways

  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has completed its new 35,000-square-foot Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II), a research facility designed to advance aerospace technology development and education through specialized laboratories and a sterilization clean room.
  • The facility includes advanced capabilities to simulate space and atmospheric conditions, providing researchers with highly specialized environments for aerospace testing and innovation.
  • Construction required careful coordination with nearby flight operations at Daytona Beach International Airport, with Hoar Construction implementing equipment-height restrictions to maintain safe and unobstructed airspace throughout the project.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer. The university partnered with ikon.5 architects as the project’s lead designer and with Hoar Construction for construction services.

The 35,000-square-foot facility contains specialized laboratory space that can simulate space and atmospheric conditions, the news release reports; it also features a clean room to sterilize equipment for space operations.

“CAT II is a great example of how thoughtful planning and collaboration can bring highly technical spaces to life,” said Erika Charlassier, Hoar Construction project manager. “From advanced laboratories to the sterilization room, every element of this facility was built to support innovation. Our team worked closely with Embry-Riddle to safely navigate complex conditions while maintaining schedule and budget, delivering a space that will help shape the future of aerospace research and education.”

The construction process took into consideration student planes frequently taking off and landing from the nearby Daytona Beach International Airport. Hoar Construction worked with the university to ensure the placement of equipment like cranes, boom pumps, and forklifts never exceeded the height of the building itself to keep airspace clear.

Hoar previously partnered with Embry-Riddle on the construction of a 239,172-square-foot, four-story parking garage including office space on the ground floor.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Chicago District Completes Construction on New Elementary School

    North Chicago School District 187 in North Chicago, Ill., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Forrestal Elementary School, according to a news release. The new school marks a major investment in military-connected students and families at Naval Station Great Lakes.

  • abstract illustration of school gym

    How the Gymnasium Can Serve as a Model for Learning Space Design

    Multipurpose gyms work because flexibility was built into the brief from the start, not retrofitted later. The same logic applies to academic spaces.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.