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

  • Carnegie Mellon University Receives $3B Gift to Launch New Campus

    Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently announced that it has received $3 billion—the largest individual gift in higher education history—from Citadel CEO and founder Ken Griffin, according to a news release.

  • Longwood University Hits Construction Milestone on New Music Education Facility

    Longwood University in Farmville, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of its new music education and performance facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with development and construction firm Skanska on the 63,800-square-foot facility, which began construction in August 2025 and has an estimated completion date of fall 2028.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.