Taylor University details $100M master plan
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Taylor University on Wednesday released its Campus Master Plan, outlining more than $100 million in capital projects on the Upland campus. The university said the investments are focusing on five core areas: academic buildings, dining facilities, residence life, hospitality, and co-curricular investments.
Approximately $70 million in projects are already in progress, including the $25 million Horne Academic Center, construction for which began in September 2022.
The master plan coincides with the university’s five-year strategic plan unveiled last year, known as Taylor Thrives.
Taylor said in a news release that its board of trustees and senior leadership found an opportunity to review the university’s building and infrastructure needs along side the strategic plan due to what it calls a period of historic growth with record freshman enrollment over the last two years.
The university said the goal is to “ensure facilities would serve the campus well now and into the future and support the expanding student body.”
“These are exciting times of growth and investment,” President Michael Lindsay said in the release. “We are working hard to make the Taylor campus more beautiful, engaging, and an inspiring place where our students can thrive. From new academic spaces to residence halls, to co-curricular investments, we want this campus and our local community, which students call home, to be a great place of flourishing.”
Several projects were highlighted during the university’s announcement. The 45,000-square-foot Horne Academic Center, which will be home to Taylor’s Film and Media Arts program, as well as the university’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, is slated for completion next August.
Taylor plans to begin renovations of the Nussbaum Science Center next month, which it says will create a first-class training facility for the university’s future School of Nursing. The nursing program is slated to begin accepting students for the 2024-25 academic year, pending accreditation approval.
Additionally, the university is using a nearly $2 million gift from the Don Wood Foundation to enhance its engineering facilities.
Another project currently underway is the full renovation of the Hodson Dining Commons, which Taylor says is one of the most ambitious projects it has undertaken. It includes a 650-seat event center with outdoor dining and gathering spaces.
Taylor is also planning a new food venue near the campus library, which would double the school’s dining capacity.
Last week, Taylor broke ground on Residential Village, which will feature apartment-style housing for upperclassmen and graduate students.
The university also has plans for a 20,000-square-foot Welcome Center that will house admissions, advancement, alumni and parent relations, and marketing offices, as well as the president’s office. A timeline for construction was not provided. Detailed plans for the project, which is being funded with a $5 million lead gift, will be released in 2024.
Finally, the master plan calls for investments in Taylor’s athletic facilities, including renovations to Odle Arena, construction of the Stillman Fieldhouse, and a workout facility for athletes. Additionally, plans are being finalized for a Trojan Athletics Club adjacent to the football stadium.
You can connect to the full master plan by clicking here.