Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/23/26

Key Takeaways

  • Montclair State University has broken ground on a $120-million, 110,000-square-foot Interdisciplinary Science Building that will open for the 2028–29 academic year, supported in part by a $60-million state capital facilities grant.
  • The facility is designed to advance interdisciplinary STEM education and research with modern academic and research labs, technology-enabled classrooms, collaborative spaces, student lounges, and specialized areas such as The Imaginarium and an indoor/outdoor classroom.
  • The project emphasizes sustainability and workforce readiness through LEED Silver-targeted design features—including solar energy, native landscaping, and stormwater management—while creating flexible spaces for industry partnerships and collaborative innovation.

Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year. Funding came partially through a $60-million capital facilities grant from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.

The 110,000-square-foot facility will include academic and research labs, a flexible event space, faculty workspaces, technology-equipped classrooms, collaborative workspaces, and student lounges, the news release reports.

"The new Interdisciplinary Science Building will dramatically change the experience for science students at Montclair State University," said Lora Billings, dean of Montclair’s College of Science and Mathematics. "By providing larger, more accessible state-of-the-art lab facilities, in addition to all of the available spaces for interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, we will be preparing students with the tools they need to enter the workforce as productive scientists of the future."

Spaces designed for research and collaboration include The Imaginarium, a flexible and scalable space for data analysis and visualization; an Indoor/Outdoor Classroom space that will connect to the building’s plaza; a fourth-floor space left open for partnership with other companies and organizations; and a rooftop terrace. Sustainability initiatives include the harvesting of solar energy, a native rain garden, dry stream bed, and native bioswale to target a LEED Silver Certification.

"At Montclair, we strive to offer an academic experience that is both accessible and excellent. The Interdisciplinary Science Building is part of that commitment," said Jonathan Koppell, university president. "Fulfilling our mission requires constant innovation and investment to ensure we provide the best experience possible for our students. By creating modern laboratories, collaborative spaces and research opportunities, we ensure our students receive an education worthy of their investment while preparing them to shape the future of New Jersey."

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Doerr School of Sustainability Accelerator

    From Concrete Warehouse to Innovation Hub: Accelerating Sustainability at Stanford

    The transformation of a once windowless, concrete publishing warehouse into a sun-drenched center for global innovation began with a single, fundamental challenge: how to turn an industrial storage shell into a space built for human connection.

  • Wold Completes Geothermal Projects at Two Minnesota Schools

    Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has completed two geothermal expansion projects for Mounds View Public Schools in Shoreview, Minn., according to a news release. The work at Highview Middle School and Irondale High School serves the district’s long-term goal of reducing energy costs and dependency on non-renewable fuel sources, as well as improving building performance.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.