This science and environmental center involves 60,000 sf of renovation and 68,000 sf of new construction. The project is the largest in the University's history, combining biology, forestry, fire science, zoology, chemistry, and geology laboratories and lecture rooms, plus a substantial nursing science component.

The campus consists of older and dignified historic structures; therefore, the design for the addition builds upon the attributes, in more modern form, of the traditional existing architecture by taking design cues from the old Fort Brady campus. The new addition wraps around two sides of the existing structure and creates a new "face" for the building.

To best utilize space, the new two-story addition accommodates the heavily serviced laboratories, while the renovated areas generally include simpler classroom and lecture type uses, as the renovated area is more difficult to service.

Flexible laboratories are designed with an overhead delivery system that contains task lighting, exhaust capabilities, gas, and electronic delivery. This system enables most things to be changeable because the service manifold or module is no longer fixed to the floor. Therefore, if the actual delivery system is flexible, the infrastructure can be fixed, yet still be capable of change.

Crawford Hall was named R&D Magazine's 2000 Renovated Laboratory of the Year.