Numerous renovation and construction activities will be occurring on the Storrs and regional campuses of the University of Connecticut this fall semester. Updates to academic buildings, campus infrastructure improvements and road closures are among the changes students can expect to see.
Headlining this year’s construction plans are a renovation to the Gant Math-Science Complex, the construction of a new School of Nursing building and major expansions to the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion and the Greer Field House to build the Bailey Student-Athlete Success Center, the University Planning, Design and Construction office said in their quarterly report released in June.
The renovations to Gant, which entered its third and final phase this summer, will see interior and exterior renovations to the north wing of the building, load zones and outdoor courtyard areas. The northwest entrance to the building, located at the corner of North Eagleville and Auditorium Roads, will be closed for the duration of the project.
“Most demolition and abatement work will be completed by the end of February 2026,” UPDC said.
The current plan is to renovate the four existing floors to house classrooms and lab spaces and construct a new floor dedicated to research. Some spaces on the new ground floor will also be dedicated to advising services offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The north wing, which formerly hosted the Institute of Material Sciences offices until the opening of the Science One building, remains vacant. Phases of reconstruction for the south and west wings of the complex finished in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
“Phase 3 construction is anticipated to be complete in December 2027,” the UPDC report states, with planned usage for the Spring 2028 semester.
Both the Science One and Gant renovation projects, among others, were funded by the Next Generation Connecticut initiative as part of UConn’s goal of creating a “STEM-focused quad.”
New fencing and temporary signage have been installed alongside Hillside Road, as projects relating to the renovation and expansion of athletic buildings begin. Gampel Pavilion and the Greer Field House will see the most work this year as part of the largest renovation the facilities have seen since 1990.
“The goal is to upgrade Harry A. Gampel Pavilion to enhance the daily experience for student athletes and visitors by instilling a sense of Huskies pride by offering first-class facilities that support player development and recruitment,” the project description states.
Highlights of the interior renovations include new lower bowl seating, improved safety and building and structure and communications upgrades—including installing new Wi-Fi access points. Designs also include new “premium clubs and concession options” for fans. Gampel hosts home games for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, certain volleyball and golf contests and special events like job fairs and the annual commencement ceremonies.
The total price for Gampel renovations is estimated to cost $100 million, according to Athletic Director David Benedict, with some contributions already in from the State of Connecticut. Certain improvements, like the installation of larger video scoreboards and roof repairs were completed before the 2024-25 basketball season.
The attached Greer Field House, which has been open since 1950, will be seeing a major expansion as part of the new Bailey Student-Athlete Success Center. Ground broke on the expansion in April, which will see a full overhaul of the Guyer Gymnasium space and the construction of the Nayden Center for Academic Excellence.
“At the core of this transformative project, the 12,000 square foot academic center will become the home for holistic development, academic accomplishment, and well-being for every student-athlete at UConn,” UConn Today said in April.
The complex, named after former UConn student-athlete and UConn Foundation board member Trisha Bailey, is thanks to her largest-yet cash contribution to the Athletics Department. Plans also include new locker rooms for various teams and changes to outdoor access in connection with the adjacent Sherman Field area.
Major construction is also ongoing in South Campus, where a new 90,000 sq. foot building to be dedicated to the School of Nursing is being designed alongside active infrastructure changes. The new building area, which lies behind the Fine Arts Complex on Bolton Road, was formerly home to Parking Lot S.
“Parking spaces displaced from Lot S will be redistributed across other existing surface lots that have capacity,” the project webpage states.
Most of the project thus far has concerned the installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems and related utilities attached to the South Campus Chiller Plant and Connecticut Hall, which opened in 2024.
UPDC expects construction to be substantially complete by Fall 2026, but their report says that “long lead time(s)” in material procurement and environmental assessments related to soil disposal may delay the project.
The new building project is being funded in part by a $50 million donation to the School of Nursing – which marks the largest single donation in the history of UConn. The program currently occupies the historic Storrs Hall.
Pedestrians and motorists will also find road closures in South Campus, including the closure of Whitney Road and adjacent areas due to continuing steam projects behind Arjona Hall and the Bousfield Psychology building. Gilbert Road will be available during the closure for through traffic to the center of campus.
“In Fall 2023 a leak was found in the existing steam piping,” a UPCD statement said. “The best course of action [was] to remove and replace…the vaults and associated piping.”
The June report specifies that the Whitney Road steam project is only 35% complete.
Other construction initiatives include significant improvements to Mirror Lake after years of deferred maintenance to the man-made landmark, including dredging and water quality improvements, as well as the reassessment of the nearby Whitney House site alongside Storrs Road following the partial demolition of the colonial home after a fire in 2023. Foundational construction has also begun for a new indoor tennis facility, to be located next to the current outdoor tennis courts at the corner of North Hillside Road and Discovery Drive.
Construction at UConn’s regional campuses continues: A new small dining location is nearing completion in the Hartford Times Building, which will feature grab-and-go style amenities alongside a limited cafeteria-style service. The café was originally expected to be open for the start of the fall semester, but a revised grand opening is anticipated in the next two weeks. Also in Hartford, a multimillion dollar renovation project at the Huskies’ second basketball and hockey home, the Peoples Bank Arena (formerly known as the XL Center), is ongoing, bringing numerous amenity additions within the coliseum, concourse and seating areas alongside the construction of UConn educational space in the center’s exhibition hall. The arena is owned by the City of Hartford but is operated by the Oak View Group and the Capital Region Development Authority.
In Stamford, UConn is remediating properties affected by the demolition of an adjacent parking garage on Washington Boulevard, UPDC said.
Students can see a map of ongoing campus construction projects on the University Planning, Design and Construction webpage at updc.uconn.edu. For more information, visit uconn.edu/construction.