Anyone walking through Howard’s campus will encounter signs of construction: piles of rubble and debris, “NO TRESPASSING” signs, workers in white hard hats and neon-yellow vests and rooms closed for renovation.

A previous five-year strategic plan called, Howard Forward, ended last month but made campus development a top priority to uplift research and academic goals. 

The initiative, along with the 2023 launch of a $785 million Central Campus Master Plan, planted the seeds for multiple construction projects that will be ready for the Howard community to use in the coming months and years. 

Founders Library

What are the Main Renovations Happening? 

Founders Library has been shut down since the beginning of the fall semester to replace the building’s water pipes and plumbing system, executive director of physical facilities management, Timothy Millner said.

The plan is to achieve complete access to the restrooms and water fountains in the building, which previously did not work, and address leakage issues, Millner said.  

He also said the university is in the process of fixing the clock and bell tower at the top of Founders. They plan to install new parts and chimes that should be received and installed within a month or two.

When Will The Building Open? 

Millner stated that the plumbing work in the building should be completed by late November or early December, and the building may “open later this semester.” But, he stressed that library staff ultimately decide when the building will open to students. 

Part of the demolition work also included getting rid of asbestos, which was completed in late August, according to Millner. But, he said there is a possibility more asbestos might be uncovered as piping work is completed.

He said the library’s staff will ultimately determine when the building will open to students. 

“We’re looking forward to having it open so that people can actually go in and see what it’s like,” he said.

Other Updates

Other renovations include a new wheelchair ramp, third-floor office updates and an all-new heating and cooling system, replacing old radiators with fan-cooled units, Millner said. 

He emphasized that the north side of the building will experience ongoing issues in particular.

“They certainly will not be fixed by November,” Millner said. “And we’re hoping to have them in place at least by summer.” 

The Myrtilla Miner Building

The Myrtilla Miner Building, named after a well-known American abolitionist and educator, was first used to train the early teachers in America’s segregated school system. 

The building, which was constructed in 1913 and acquired by Howard in 1994, had only gone through minor renovations and sat mostly empty and unused before it was shut down last year for a complete overhaul.

Anthony Freeman, a senior real estate advisor for Howard, described it as a “jewel in the middle of the campus,” that they needed “to bring more life to.”

What Renovations Are Occuring? 

Derrek Niec-Williams, executive director of Campus Planning, Architecture & Development for Howard’s Real Estate Development and Capital Asset Management (REDCAM) team, said the building’s redesign “married” its history with a modern look. 

A refreshed Miner building will house the School of Education and Howard Middle School of Mathematics and Science and feature a basketball court, cafeteria and auditorium.

“That won’t just be used by the middle school or by the School of Education, that will be used by the whole university,” Niec-Willians said.

According to the REDCAM team, both the programs wanted to grow, and Niec-Willians added that merging the two academic programs into one building aligned with the university’s goals.

“We thought putting a middle school in with an active education program, there’s a poetry to it because of the history of the building,” he said. 

Tia Ford is a junior elementary education major from Chicago and secretary of the SOE student council. She sees the school’s move to the historic building as a sign of respect for the program and believes it will inspire students to be agents of change. 

“The investment is not only for current students, it’s for future Howard students and future educators,” she said. 

When Will The Building Open? 

Renovations began in February 2023 and were to be completed by this semester. However, Niec-Williams said issues like water infiltration delayed the grand opening.

Instead, SOE and the middle school will move in during winter break to avoid disrupting classes.  

Blackburn University Center

Since its opening in 1979, the Armour J. Blackburn University Center has undergone many changes. A trend that continues to this day. 

“Blackburn is still in the renovation stage,” Jomah Watson, director of Blackburn University Center and Campus Recreation, said. 

Bowling Alley and Game Room 

Blackburn, Howard’s original student hub, was constructed with a 12-lane bowling alley. But according to Watson, it has not been open to students for some time.

“When I got here in 2017, it was already closed,” he said, and when it will open again is still up in the air. The facility needs new piping, floors, walls, paint, light fixtures and pinsetters.

Eventually, he said, the space will be mostly student-run and available for all students to enjoy. Student and community organizations will also be able reserve the bowling alley for events. 

The university also has plans to turn the open space that leads to the bowling alley into a game room.

“That’s gonna be like a Dave and Buster’s kind of thing,” Watson said. “Like TVs, arcade games, and stuff.”

Music Studio and Podcast Room

Just off the proposed game room and next to the current Esports Lab, Howard’s Office of Student Affairs has been working to create a music studio and podcast room in partnership with Warner Music and the Blavatnik Center for Music Business Education. 

According to Watson, the studio is almost completed and is currently planned to open around homecoming week. 

Intercultural Affairs and LGBTQ+ Resource Center

Howard closed the Office of Intercultural Affairs and LGBTQ+ Resource Center in Blackburn at the beginning of the fall semester in order to fully renovate the office. 

In partnership with IKEA, the project is meant to remodel, renovate and revitalize the space for students from underrepresented communities on campus.

“It’s going to be state of the art,” Watson said, listing new lighting, flooring, painting, cabinets, and signage as just some of the changes students familiar with the center can expect to see. 

The center is set to host a ribbon cutting on Oct. 16.

“A Bridge Across and Beyond” Sculpture and Fountain 

Richard Hunt’s bronze welded sculpture opened with the center 45 years ago, symbolizing Africa and the continent’s connection to its descendants in the United States. 

The structure is meant to be surrounded by fountains and a reflection pool, but the piece has been infrequently filled since 2005 due to cracks. 

Recent renovations to the sculpture aim to fix some key issues. The fountain is scheduled to be turned on for homecoming. Then it will be shut down for another three weeks for tiling work, Millner explained. 

Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau