Construction, demolition happening across Penn State’s campus. See the projects
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Penn State advances $700M Beaver Stadium upgrade, highlighting campus overhaul.
- New classroom buildings and lab expansions support engineering, physics and nursing.
- Residence hall renovations include $92.1M Pollock update and slate roof replacement.
Summer is typically a busy time for construction projects on Penn State’s University Park campus, but this year, it seems you can’t turn a corner without running into scaffolding or fencing.
From high-profile projects like the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation to new and improved classroom spaces, below is a recent look at various under-construction spots on campus.
Academic buildings
A new $96 million, three-story classroom building is going up near the intersection of Park Avenue and Bigler Road. The 90,000-square-foot building will have large lecture halls, general purpose classrooms with seminar-style and flexible seating, and will be available to any academic college, according to a news release from the university.
It’s anticipated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester.
Major work continues at the Sackett Building, part of an overall $89.9 million project and part of the College of Engineering Master Plan. Kunkle Lounge, which connects to the Hammond Building, is also being demolished. Work is expected to continue throughout the year and be completed for fall 2027.
Oswald Tower is being demolished following the spring semester opening of the new Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building.
Renovations to the Nursing Sciences Building include a 2,700-square-foot expansion on the building’s northwest side for a 180-person active-learning, simulation-ready classroom and knowledge commons space.
The project was not expected to exceed $28 million, with $10 million coming from philanthropic gifts.
Work on the renovations and addition to Osmond Lab started last year. The $115 million project’s 48,000-square-foot addition will be a “high-bay research facility” that supports the physics department, according to a university release.
Sports facilities
A $21.25 million Jeffrey Field Soccer Complex project includes renovations to the soccer stadium and a new soccer operational facility. Construction began in 2024 and the university is targeting a late 2025 completion date.
South of Jeffrey Field, an indoor practice air-supported structure is in the works. The estimated $10 million project will feature artificial turf, sports lighting and surface parking.
The most high-profile — and expensive — of Penn State’s ongoing construction projects is the Beaver Stadium revitalization. The site has been active since the end of the 2024 football season, with the demolition of the press box in January kicking off the start of more extensive work. Penn State’s board of trustees approved up to $700 million in spending on the renovation project last May.
In a May 15 video update on the Penn State Athletics website, Associate Director of Development Michael Mauti explained that micropiling, a deep foundation technique using small-diameter, drilled and grouted piles with steel reinforcement to support or stabilize structures, has started on the west side. Temporary seating will be installed there for this football season.
Residence halls
A $3.9 million roofing project is underway at Thompson Hall. The project will replace the existing slate roof system. The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating after an employee working on the project was injured after a May 27 fall.
Updates to Ritner and Wolf residence halls are first up in Penn State’s plan to renovate all nine Pollock residence halls. The $92.1 million plan aims to completely renew the 1960 residence halls with new amenities such as air conditioning and private bathrooms.
