Modernization

The University of Kansas is constructing the Gateway District, a vibrant destination for sports performance and training at the heart of the Lawrence campus. Designed by HNTB and Multistudio, the $448 million project includes the transformation of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium to provide a new seating bowl layout with improved sightlines. Improved concourse circulation will be accompanied by more space for concessions, accessible seating, and restrooms.

A $139 million project to expand the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia (UVA) will provide cutting-edge business education well into the future by offering students the best technological resources, on-site and remote learning environments, and a variety of spaces to collaborate and socialize. The construction of a new 80,000-sf structure and renovation of a historic building, both slated for completion in March 2025, will grow McIntire beyond the 156,000 sf of space it has called home since 2008. The hub of buildings addresses a space deficit and creates a growing commerce complex, providing a link between the university, its students, and nearby business districts.

The General Services Administration (GSA) completed construction on Building 53 at the Denver Federal Center in September of 2024. Designed by Gensler, the complex project involved the transformation of almost 200,000 sf in a 1940s-era structure into a modern and collaborative office environment. The sustainable facility collocates five federal agencies:

Lehigh University's new Health, Science & Technology Building is designed to break down silos between academic departments, to enhance faculty research and better prepare students for tomorrow’s transdisciplinary world. Three different lab modules—with no walls between them—facilitate easy transitions from one use to another, as well as expansion and contraction as needs change. And collaboration spaces are strategically located between labs throughout the building.

Prior to the development of a master plan for expansion of research facilities at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), campus facility planners conducted a 15-month strategic visioning initiative that resulted in the creation of a digital space planning and visualization tool called PREVIEW.

When Wayne State University in Detroit released its campus plan—the Wayne Framework—in 2018, no one could have guessed how prophetic the school’s new approach would turn out to be. Rather than creating a campus plan that sets a specific schedule of chronological tasks and building projects, the Wayne Framework instead focuses on how the school should evaluate priorities on an ongoing basis, allowing the facilities department to remain flexible enough to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Within a few years of launching the Framework, those circumstances would include a global pandemic, catastrophic flooding, and numerous university leadership changes.

JLL’s Global Future of Work survey has explored the evolving world of corporate real estate since 2011. This year, it analyzes the key priorities, challenges, and strategies of more than 2,300 professionals and decision-makers from around the wold. Recent insights show that companies are adopting a cautiously positive outlook in this increasingly dynamic and ambiguous environment. With plans to increase and rebalance organizational headcount in the coming years, many are ready to invest in their real estate as they expect to increase their budget and footprint.

The decreasing amount of time researchers spend in their labs is changing research facility design and space allocation, with an increased need for lab support space, a more significant reliance on core facilities, the creation of additional write-up and data analysis environments, and the purposeful inclusion of collaboration spaces.

The new Library and Learning Center at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) has transformed the school’s former library from a quiet place filled primarily with stacks of books into a welcoming and dynamic environment focused on providing students access to the resources needed to succeed academically. In addition to the library, the renovated facility includes the learning lab, which brings together tutoring support previously housed in three different locations, a student academic computing center, nine group study rooms, two academic classrooms, and a One-Button studio for video production. The number of computers available for student use throughout the entire facility has increased from 30 to 300, an important advantage for the many CCP students who do not own personal computers.   

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is partnering with Grumman|Butkus Associates on a retrocommissioning initiative that is expected to deliver significant energy savings. Spanning nearly 1.7 million sf, the project includes the evaluation of seven existing buildings to identify deficiencies and craft innovative solutions.

UCSF Health is planning to construct a $1.49 billion hospital in Oakland that will enable the delivery of world-class pediatric care for decades to come. Designed by SmithGroup to optimize therapeutic outcomes, the seven-story, 277,500-sf facility will be illuminated by natural light, with numerous outdoor areas that are accessible to patients, families and staff. Strategic programming will allow sophisticated instrumentation to be accessed when needed without impeding clinical processes.

The University of New Hampshire completed the renovation and expansion of Spaulding Hall in Durham in late July of 2024. Ellenzweig designed the $89 million project to provide the Department of Biological Sciences with state-of-the-art research labs, core facilities, instructional settings, and collaborative learning venues. Slated to achieve LEED certification, the sustainable structure collocates programs in biochemistry, neuroscience, ecology, cell culture, medical laboratory science, and anatomy and physiology.

Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) has completed three construction projects on its Burlington campus that will provide dynamic modalities for the delivery of world-class care. Margulies Perruzzi performed architectural services for all three developments at the tertiary academic medical center, complementing the numerous LHMC facilities that the firm has worked on in the past. Seamlessly integrating advanced technology with human-centric design, these capital initiatives are defining an environment engineered for optimal therapeutic impact.

The University of California has selected Flad Architects as executive architect for the UCLA Research Park Master Plan Study, a roadmap for the transformation of the former Westside Pavilion shopping mall in Los Angeles into a nexus for discovery and innovation. Leasable lab and office environments will enable industry, academic, and government partners to benefit from collocation with two multidisciplinary research centers.

Colorado State University broke ground in May of 2024 on a $230 million redevelopment of the Veterinary Health and Education Complex (VEHC) in Fort Collins. Designed by Clark & Enersen, the expansion and renovation project will feature a 213,000-sf replacement teaching hospital that will offer unique opportunities for immersive education. The sustainable structure will feature two 80-seat active learning classrooms with interactive workstations, as well as eight exam rooms equipped with advanced simulation technologies.