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Villanova Eyeing $200 Million In Capital Improvements

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Villanova University has announced that it has plans for two major capital projects and additional smaller investments which are estimated to cost close to $200,000,0000.

The “big ticket” item is a 150,000 square-foot addition to the College of Engineering’s primary academic building, the Center for Engineering Education and Research. That project is expected to cost $125,000,000. According to a Villanova University press release –

The 150,000 square foot addition will more than double the existing 90,000 square foot building, resulting in a 63% increase in overall teaching and research lab space—allowing all the College’s departments to be in one location. 

 

Villanova Engineering

Features of the building addition will include:

  • 11 flexible laboratory spaces designed for multi-disciplinary teams to work together on topical areas of research.
  • State-of-the-art instruction spaces that can adapt to various teaching and lecture formats.
  • A two-story Innovation Lab, which will include workspaces, tools and equipment for building, and space to accommodate large-scale project work.
  • Various sustainable design features to support the Villanova and College of Engineering commitment to sustainability, including a green roof for teaching and research, instrumented with smart systems to collect and monitor climate and soil moisture data.

On Tuesday (December 14), Philadelphia Business Journal reported on an interview that they did with Villanova President Rev. Peter Donohue. The Business Journal wrote –

“It’s a process of change, and change is difficult, but it’s necessary,” Donohue said. “And I think it is important for us to continue to see how much better we can be.”

The private Catholic university spent $65 million renovating The Finneran Pavilion and even more on transforming a longstanding parking lot into The Commons, an 1,100-bed multi-use residential complex. Villanova also spent $60 million on the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts, which was completed in 2020. 

Rooted. Restless.—Villanova University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2030