Penn State in the design stage of College of Engineering’s expansion

© Penn State

Design work has begun for the first stage of a $370 million expansion of the Penn State College of Engineering.

The College of Engineering at University Park is the largest college at Penn State with nearly 50 campus buildings, more than 300 tenure-track faculty and more than 12,000 undergraduate and graduate-level engineering students.

Phase one will construct two buildings, currently called West 1 and West 2, that will serve a central engineering hub to the west of North Atherton Street. The phase also will renovate the Sackett Building and demolish the Hammond Building.

The new buildings will add 377,000-square-feet to the campus and will include faculty offices, research labs, multi-use design studios, and classrooms.

West 1 also will feature collaborative student workspaces, foodservice, and pedestrian connections.

Phase one is expected to be completed in 2023. It is funded primarily by the state and the university.

Phase two includes additional renovations to the Sackett Building, the construction of a third building on West Campus, and construction on the footprint of the demolished Hammond Building. The projected cost is $479 million.

The board of trustees must approve phase two before it can move forward.

Penn State and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will serve as the primary funding sources for the project. A capital campaign is also underway to provide additional project support.