Marquette University announced last year that it will be building a new business school in place of where McCormick Hall once stood.
“The university has been talking about a new business school for many years now,” Tim Hanley, interim dean of the College of Business Administration, said in an email. “In fact, before stepping into my current role at Marquette, I served for many years on our College Leadership Council and can attest to this ongoing discussion on a new facility for many years.”
He said investments like a new business school require the support of the university’s executive leadership and the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Hanley said that they have been in the planning stage of the new project since early 2020.
“We announced our intention to build this new facility in Dr. Lovell’s ‘State of the University’ address in late January of 2020,” Hanley said in an email. “We are making very good progress towards our goals and although I can’t share specific information publicly at this time around the current schedule, we should be able to provide more specifics within the coming months.”
Hanley said the university is still working to come up with an estimated cost of the new buildings. The university was able to raise $44 million for the project
“There is a lot that goes in to determining the cost of a facility like this,” Hanley said in an email. “Leadership on this project is constantly taking into account changes in the climate and environment, meaning the economy and construction markets for example, to make assessments on the size of the facility and the programming requirements of such a building.
Hanley said they recently revisited the overall scope and budget of this project given the climate they are currently in.
Hanley said the facility will be fully funded by the generosity of donors.
“We have been extremely grateful for the response from our donors thus far, but we still have work to do to reach our fundraising goals,” Hanley said.
The cost of the building is set to be $70 million.
Hanley said he is certain that the university is thinking carefully of what lies ahead for the current business school, David A. Straz Jr. Hall.
“I think it’s wonderful that we are getting a new business school,” Emma Roffler, a junior in the College of Business Administration, said in an email. “I am very excited that students will have access to a new business school building.”
She also said she believes the building will attract prospective business students.
“From what I know, the new building will have more collaborative spaces for students to work together on projects,” Roffler said in an email. “I think this is great as we live in a world where collaboration is key to most industries.”
Roffler said she thinks the new facility is much needed.
“My parents both went to Marquette (graduated in 1993 and 1994) and they both were a part of the business school. Our current building if the same one that my parents studied in over 20 years ago,” Roffler said in an email.
Hanley said that the planning team has thought about a lot of ways to honor his predecessor Joe Daniels who passed away in February.
“In many ways, it was Joe’s vision for this new building and the work he started that has been an inspiration for all of us,” Hanley said in an email. “In fact, I see it as one of our team’s main goals to deliver Joe’s vision for this new facility.”
“It is a challenging task, but I am confident we will find an appropriate way to honor him in the new home for Marquette Business for decades to come.”
Hanley said he views his role as an honor to help make the dream of the new facility a reality in the years ahead, so that every student that walks through the doors will continue to be afforded every opportunity.
“I’m definitely excited to be getting a new building.” Jiral Modi, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, said. “Marquette house some of the top business programs in the country and we are ecstatic to have a new home!”
This story was written by Matthew Choate. He can be reached at [email protected].