Penn State to Build $144 Million Engineering Laboratory Building

The Penn State Board of Trustees on Friday approved final plans and a $144 million budget to demolish Fenske Laboratory at the University Park campus and build a new, state-of-the-art research and instructional laboratory at the same site. Funds will come from borrowing, reserves for capital improvement, and gifts.

Seven years ago, Fenske, which houses the chemical engineering department, was singled out and labeled “substandard and a threat to our continued accreditation” by ABET, which accredits university engineering programs. The building isn’t fit to be considered the core of scientific research at Penn State, but it also isn’t feasible to renovate the existing laboratory, so the building will instead be replaced.

The Fenske site is near the intersection of Curtin and Shortlidge roads.

Both chemical and biomedical engineering will be included in the site with room for growth in the future. The new 193,000-square-foot building will include two laboratories, classrooms, a large lecture hall, group study rooms, conference rooms, a Knowledge Commons location, and office space.

Biomedical engineering is currently housed in Hallowell Building, which was deemed too small for the fast growing discipline and too far from other scientific engineering centers on campus

In campus master planning, a “greenway” was established that includes the site of Fenske. Building design will reflect this policy. Other site work will connect the building to the campus sidewalk network and preserve “significant existing trees.” The building will also feature a first-floor green roof, and its design will allow for future expansion to this campus location.

Those with labs and offices currently in the Fenske building will be relocated throughout construction. Ford Stryker, associate vice president for physical plant, said on Thursday that the target date for completion is December 2018.