• On Wednesday, the State of Wisconsin Building Commission did not approve Marquette's proposal for $10 million in state funds to enact the first phase of construction of a new engineering facility.
• The request to help fund construction of the Discovery Learning Complex had the support of some legislators, but it was withdrawn and never voted on.
• The state funds would have combined with $25 million in private donations to fund construction of an 80,000-square-foot building.

In Marquette's continuing efforts to get its proposed engineering center off the ground, the university unsuccessfully tried a new strategy — state funding.

In a meeting Wednesday, the State of Wisconsin Building Commission did not approve Marquette's request for $10 million to help fund the first phase of construction of the $100 million Discovery Learning Complex.

The request was backed by a few legislators, including state Sen. Jeffrey Plale (D-South Milwaukee). However, it did not receive necessary support at the commission meeting.

Plale withdrew the Marquette proposal, and the measure was never voted on, said Mary Pat Pfeil, senior director of university communication, in an e-mail. Had the commission approved the request, it would have gone to the state legislature for a final decision.

"We are grateful to those state legislators, particularly Sen. Plale, who supported our proposal," the university said in a statement released Wednesday. "While we are disappointed today, the university is committed to continue fundraising to make the engineering project a reality."

While the failure to pass the proposal is disappointing, it will not kill the project, said Michael Switzenbaum, executive associate dean and a professor in the College of Engineering.

"(The Discovery Learning Complex) is going to happen," Switzenbaum said. "It just may take a little longer because of the economy."

The university planned to enact the $35 million first phase of construction through the potential $10 million in state funds plus $25 million in private donations already received, Switzenbaum said.

This initial stage would result in construction of an 80,000-square-foot building that would not constitute the entire Discovery Learning Complex, Switzenbaum said. The structure would likely include the Discovery Learning Studio, a place for hands-on work by multi-disciplinary groups.

"With the economic downtown, we're thinking it might be more advantageous to build in stages," Switzenbaum said.

Switzenbaum called Marquette's proposal a "shovel-ready project." The university has purchased the land, readied the designs and could put construction crews to work this summer.

Switzenbaum said the project would create jobs in the short term and facilitate long-term benefits by educating engineers to help the economy grow.

"We look for this project to help the state stay competitive in the global economy," Switzenbaum said.

He said the university always looks forward to chances to work with state leaders. He said the proposal was an opportunity for the state to be a partner in making "a world-class building that would help southeastern Wisconsin."

"Everyone realized this was something different, but these are different times," Switzenbaum said.