Adam RollinsThe University of Wisconsin at Madison (UW-Madison) will spend $419.8 million to demolish and replace the current engineering facility with an expanded academic and research building.
The existing Computer Aided Engineering Facility was built in 1938 and was later expanded in 1987. The structure’s outdated design reflects the different construction styles and capabilities of two different eras. The building has reached the end of its usable life for many systems and can no longer accommodate the needs of UW-Madison’s faculty, staff or students.
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The university will build a new academic and research building for the College of Engineering, prioritizing improved, flexible engineering spaces and expanding enrollment, degrees and program offerings.
The facility will include eight stories and a mechanical penthouse. Seven of the floors will be above grade and one will be below. The building will feature modern classrooms, instructional laboratories and research labs. The university has also included additional office, shared collaboration and support spaces as part of the project layout.
Demolition of the engineering building is expected to kick off construction in March 2025. Bidding for building the replacement structure will open in either May or June 2025.
Photo courtesy Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
