Pardon Our Dust

Morgridge Hall as it was nearing completion in the summer. Althea Dotzour

One usually associates UW–Madison with the colors cardinal and white, but central campus is currently accented in safety-fence orange and concrete-barrier gray. Amid the cones and cranes, streets have temporarily narrowed, and detours have popped up, all signs of a campus under construction.

Unless you’re inching down University Avenue in a car, late for a campus meeting (I could have sworn I left early enough), this is a good thing. New construction is a
key part of helping the university meet its mission.

“We need this important infrastructure to support our campus community, enable innovative teaching, and advance research that benefits communities across the state, the country, and the world.” says Cindy Torstveit ’91, associate vice chancellor of Facilities Planning & Management.

The eight-level Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center broke ground last spring at 1430 Engineering Drive, with the goal of accommodating an additional 1,000 undergraduate students per year. Scheduled for a 2028 opening, it will be the first building on campus to use a wonder material called mass timber, which is renewable and fire-resistant.

The five-level Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall at 232 N. Park Street will be a welcome addition to the College of Letters & Science, bringing together eight academic departments that are currently spread across five locations. With a scheduled 2026 opening, it’s a step toward vacating the antiquated Humanities Building, which the UW hopes to demolish in the next few years. The building will boast a self-sufficient irrigation system and more than 200 parking spots for bicycles. A rooftop garden will provide a lovely backdrop for discussions and collaboration.

“The building will enhance the experience for students taking classes in the humanities, with flexible classrooms that provide the opportunity for more active learning than standard lecture halls,” Torstveit says.

Morgridge Hall is the new home for the booming School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences. The eight-level structure was designed as the UW’s most  sustainable academic building, with solar panels providing about 5 percent of the building’s energy. And you can bet that the state-of-the-art classrooms will offer the latest in high-tech connectivity.

Morgridge Hall will open at 1205 University Avenue in time for the fall semester, with nary a cone nor crane in sight. In other words, I’ll need a new excuse for being late to campus meetings.

Published in the Fall 2025 issue