While students and faculty were away this summer, Vanderbilt’s Facilities department was hard at work on several campus construction projects.
Completed
Garland Hall
The newly renovated Garland Hall blends its 1928 architecture with innovations of today. The project preserved the building’s original design while adding 35,000 square feet of contemporary space.
Welcoming students for the 2025–26 academic year, the updated hall features new learning spaces, including a 160-person active learning classroom, offices, lecture halls and an outdoor patio that is perfect for relaxing or studying with a stunning view of the historic campus.
FirstBank Stadium south end zone
The Dores will take the field under the lights at FirstBank Stadium for their home opener against Charleston Southern University on Saturday, Aug. 30. Fans will enjoy the modernized stadium expansion, including redesigned south end zone seating options.
The multi-year renovation includes a multi-floor expansion spanning more than 130,000 square feet, new game-day locker rooms, an upgraded videoboard and stadium acoustics system and an updated concourse to provide new concession options.
Fans can now enjoy diverse premium seating offerings, including living room boxes, loge boxes, club seating, field-level seating and founders suites.
Under Construction
Central Utilities Initiative Phase II
Building upon the completed Phase I and the Highland Energy Plant, Phase II of the Central Utilities Initiative continues Vanderbilt’s efforts to upgrade campus utilities for current and future needs.
Though much of the work is underground and may appear unglamorous, it is essential to the success of future projects, including the Central Neighborhood Residential Colleges and Stevenson Center 6. In support of the FutureVU initiative, CUI upgrades chilled and hot water lines and moves overhead utilities underground to improve campus resiliency.
Central Neighborhood Residential Colleges
Extending the beauty of the West End Neighborhood across Vanderbilt Place, the university is developing its next phase of residential colleges in the Central Neighborhood. Over the summer, the University Club and the Community Partnership House were demolished. Manual demolition is underway at Branscomb Quad.
Once complete, the area will feature three new residential colleges, a café and collaborative green space. The colleges will open in phases beginning with the 2028–29 academic year.
Engineering and Science Building Seventh-Floor Buildout
The Engineering and Science Building is under construction and will be complete in early 2026. ESB opened in 2016 with only four floors completed. As part of the campus-wide initiative to evaluate and optimize existing spaces, the decision was made to finish the remaining floors.
The seventh and final floor will boast modern, innovative research space and serve as a trans-institutional hub for biochemistry faculty.
Stevenson Center 6
Site preparation is underway at Stevenson Center 6 to make room for a new state-of-the-art science building. The collaborative space will be shared by the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine Basic Sciences.
As part of the project, a new pedestrian pathway has been paved to connect Garland Avenue to the main campus.
This initiative supports Vanderbilt’s broader goal of creating physical spaces that foster scientific research and discovery. Stevenson Center 6 is expected to open for the 2028–29 academic year.
Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center at Vanderbilt
Demolition is complete at the permanent site for the Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center at Vanderbilt.
Funded by a historic gift from Hal and Marjorie Hollis Roberts, the academy opened in a temporary location for the 2024–25 academic year. The permanent facility, at the corner of 18th Avenue South and Edgehill Avenue, will welcome students in the 2026–27 academic year.
The 66,500-square-foot building will expand services for students and families in Middle Tennessee and provide innovative research spaces for scholars advancing dyslexia research.
Payne Hall
Significant progress has been made on the renovation of Payne Hall, which is scheduled for completion in spring 2026.
Built in the early 1950s, Payne Hall has historically housed many of Peabody’s classrooms and faculty offices. The last major renovation occurred in 1986 and focused on interior updates and mechanical systems.
The current project includes upgraded offices and classrooms, new HVAC and elevator systems, a new roof and windows, restored historical masonry and improved accessibility throughout the building.
All project details are subject to change; updates will be shared in MyVU and on the Facilities Instagram account.
If you have questions or comments about the construction on campus, please email PDC at constr_alerts@vanderbilt.edu.
