Binghamton U. to build lecture hall, tackle renovations with $125 million NY funding boost

Binghamton University will be constructing a new lecture hall to accommodate its rising student population on campus.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced $125 million in state funding for Binghamton University.

According to Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Donald Hall, the funding will go to a variety of important projects around Binghamton University's campus, including the new lecture hall.

Hall said the student population's slow growth over the past 10 years has created a need for more instructional space, while no classrooms have been added. The state funds will be used to fulfil this need, which Hall says will make a better experience on campus for all.

Binghamton University building new lecture hall

The largest project the funds will be used for is a new lecture hall on campus. According to Hall, the lecture hall will take $60 million in total, and the school plans to break ground on the project this fall. The lecture hall will be located in an undeveloped area across from Academic Buildings A and B, and next to the M parking lot.

Hall said the building will add about 30 new classroom spaces, relieving pressure from buildings such as the University Union, where rooms not meant for teaching are currently functioning as classrooms. According to Hall, the project will include 200-person classrooms, and a variety of smaller classrooms, ranging from the 125- to 40-seat range.

If everything goes according to plan, the lecture hall is expected to open in the fall of 2027. The project will include preparing the site by moving earth, and later the beginning of construction on the building itself.

Hall said while as much work as possible will be done during the summer, the construction will take place during the school year as well, and he predicted some traffic disruptions on campus, but said the school will make sure to plan for the situation accordingly.

BU science, fine arts building renovations planned

As part of the state funding award, $30 million will be going toward the renovation of lab and teaching spaces in Science 3. Preparations for the renovations have already begun, and are expected to run for several years.

Hall said the renovations will create state-of-the-art laboratory space, especially for chemistry and biology, as well as anthropology. The renovations will also create state-of-the-art teaching labs, which Hall says will positively impact students. Due to the renovations, some research or classrooms will be temporarily relocated, but Hall said no research will be negatively impacted, as alternate spaces are available.

At the school's Fine Arts building, $22 million is being allocated toward much-needed renovations. Hall said much of the heating and ventilation systems in the building are decades old, and will be drastically improved by renovations.

There will be cosmetic work done to modernize the building, which he said is "dated and old." Some plans for further renovations exist, but current funding will provide for critical maintenance and renovations.

Finally, $11 million will go toward campus-wide maintenance. Hall said the money will be used in a variety of ways, including updating and maintaining HVAC, technology and seating in classroom spaces around campus. Maintenance work will primarily take place over the summer.

"We want not only the new classrooms we are bringing in, but existing classrooms to be up to standards of what students expect and what faculty need to deliver quality instruction," said Hall. "It is a very exciting time on campus, we have a lot of good projects going on, and there are other requests we will be making of the state in the next year or two regarding other issues. Right now we feel the state is really supporting us in our research ambitions and meeting the needs of our students."

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton University campus renovations, new lecture hall planned