Iowa State University is planning to renew or replace 2.3 million square feet of buildings and add 700,000 square feet of new construction over the next 30 years on its Ames campus.
The Gazette reports that the facilities plan, which encompasses more than 40 buildings, was developed with several assumptions — including an enrollment between 30,000 and 35,000 students. Iowa State’s fall 2021 enrollment was 30,708, down 15 percent from its peak of 36,291 in fall 2016.
The plan also assumes no major changes in Iowa State’s financial resources; no big change in research spending; a modest growth in proportion of online credit hours; no change to on-campus housing square footage; and a continuing commitment to preservation of open green space on campus.
A majority of the university's new construction plan include projects already in the works, such as a $54 million Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building.
Iowa State is seeking board approval for the design of that 77,000-square-foot facility, which will provide space for teaching and research labs, classrooms and offices serving Iowa State's College of Engineering. Construction for that facility is expected to be completed in fall 2024.
The university is also looking to spend $25 million to improve parking next to Jack Trice Stadium.
