Photo courtesy of Hoar Construction

The complex will include three separate buildings connected by pedestrian bridges and a shared basement, each housing high-tech teaching labs, research laboratories, a teaching garden and communal student areas.

Hoar Construction has announced the groundbreaking of a new 285,000-sq.-ft. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Agriculture Sciences Complex at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala.

Hoar is serving as general contractor on the $184 million project, which is expected to be completed by summer 2026.

The complex will include three separate buildings connected by pedestrian bridges and a shared basement, each housing high-tech teaching labs, research laboratories, a teaching garden and communal student areas. It is located on the previous site of Auburn's Hill Residence Halls, which were demolished this year. It sits on P O Davis Drive, adjacent to Boyd Residence Hall and the Department of Poultry Sciences building.

The complex is set to consolidate several departments from the College of Sciences and Mathematics and College of Agriculture into one centralized location, including Biological Sciences, Geosciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Crop, Soils & Environmental sciences, Horticulture and Entomology & Plant Pathology. The labs and basement space will both have capabilities to hold Aquatic animals and insects for study and care.

Once complete, the complex is aiming for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Status, a rating system for environmental performance that is used as the industry standard in the United States.

"We are honored to have been chosen to oversee construction of this state-of-the-art development, which is one of the highest dollar-value projects in Auburn's history," said Joel Brown, project manager at Hoar.

"This complex is set to greatly enhance the learning experience and capabilities for Auburn's students and will pave the way for our next generation of leaders within science, technology and agriculture. We look forward to working alongside our invaluable project partners to deliver this project on time and without any disruptions to student life."

The construction site will share a fence with the adjacent College of Education building, which is currently under construction, and will border Boyd Residence Hall, an active student housing building. Hoar will use careful coordination and communication to keep university officials updated throughout the entire project lifecycle, and to ensure construction stays on schedule while keeping student safety as the highest priority.

This project continues a longstanding partnership between Auburn and Hoar, with previous projects including construction of the 36,000-sq.-ft. West Campus Dining Facility and the 193,000-sq.-ft. Auburn Engineering Center, a highly complex research and teaching facility.

Additional project partners for the STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex include JE Dunn as construction manager and Goodwyn Mills Cawood & Lord Aeck Sargent as designers of record.

For more information, visit www.hoar.com.

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