Jan 17th 2025 | Posted in Mary Scott Nabers' Insights, Opportunities by Mary Scott Nabers

Higher education institutions across the United States are investing in transformative infrastructure projects to advance academic excellence, research capabilities and student experience. These multi-million-dollar initiatives create significant opportunities for collaboration between public and private partners.

Officials at Tennessee State University’s College of Agriculture will soon begin overseeing a $63 million project to deliver two new state-of-the-art buildings – the Food and Animal Science Building and the Environmental Science Building. When completed, the university will have dedicated centers for emerging fields of study such as precision agriculture, soil health, and water management.  The new conjoined buildings will span a total of 110,000 square feet. The Food and Animal Science Building will encompass 65,000 square feet, while the Environmental Science Building will consist of an additional 45,000 square feet. Each building will be constructed with three levels that include research laboratories, teaching space, lecture halls, classrooms, offices, collective workspaces and support facilities.

Once completed, the buildings will host 35 faculty offices, 23 research labs, 17 teaching labs, a multipurpose room and four classrooms. Additional spaces will support collaborative research and teaching activities. Specialized Centers will be included for health, agriculture, water management, etc. These new structures will represent the largest buildings on campus and although construction solicitation documents have not yet been released, the new buildings are expected to be open for the fall semester of the 2026-2027 academic year.

The University of Florida’s Board of Trustees recently approved a large construction project with a cost projection of between $200 – $250 million for a new graduate campus in Jacksonville’s LaVilla neighborhood. Jacksonville is recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and the region has a pressing need for specific types of talent in emerging fields. The new campus will serve as both an academic and research hub, offering graduate programs that focus on these types of professional educational programs. An $80 million dollar semiconductor institute will also be built on the campus to provide advanced research in specialty electronics and semiconductors. The campus will reserve space for ground-floor retail, restaurants, and housing – all near the city’s historic Jacksonville Terminal train station. Construction is planned for late 2025.

Photo courtesy of rainesUMD from Pixabay.

A $107 million renovation project is planned for Georgia State University’s downtown Atlanta campus. The renovation will include the demolition of Sparks Hall, which was built in 1955, and construction of a new quadrangle designed to provide green space for students. Parts of Gilmer Street will be closed to vehicular traffic to enhance pedestrian safety and improve connectivity between campus facilities. The nearby Woodruff Park will be revitalized and developed into an inviting space for both students and the public. Significant upgrades are also planned for other key buildings on campus. The project is currently in the design phase and construction is slated to begin later in 2025.

A new 395,000-square-foot engineering education and research facility is planned for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The project carries a $420 million estimated cost and will serve as the centerpiece of the university’s seven-building engineering campus. The facility will feature shared laboratories that unite faculty, staff and students from various engineering disciplines to address common challenges. The design will focus on incorporating natural elements with modern technology and maximizing natural light.  It will also include a green roof and rooftop photovoltaics to enhance sustainability and occupant well-being. The project is in the planning and design stages and a construction start date is scheduled for 2026.

Officials at Howard University in Washington DC have announced plans to add a new $50 – $80 million Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Center on the Madison campus. The existing facilities, some of which have not seen significant upgrades since 1984, are inadequate and can no longer meet evolving demands for the highest levels of STEM studies. This project is part of an ongoing initiative to upgrade many campus facilities. Plans call for combining programs from the College of Engineering and Architecture with the College of Arts & Sciences to provide a centralized hub that encourages research and innovation. The new facility will eventually connect with a Health Sciences Center which is also in the planning phase. As an ancillary component of the project, the historic C.B. Powell Building will be renovated and redesigned as well. Once completed, it will provide updated administrative offices, classrooms, and meeting spaces. The project is currently in the planning phase along with several other academic centers that will be constructed on the campus. Solicitation documents will be available later this year.

The expansive construction and renovation projects underway at many higher education institutions will not only transform campuses but also energize local and regional economies by creating avenues for contractors, subcontractors, and service providers. From large-scale construction firms to specialized vendors, these initiatives offer a platform for collaboration and innovation in the building sector as institutions and contractors work together to bring these ambitious visions to life.

As President and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc., Mary Scott Nabers has decades of experience working in the public-private sector. A well-recognized expert in the P3 and government contracting fields, she is often asked to share her industry insights with top publications and through professional speaking engagements.