NC State to Explore a New Building for the Poole College of Management on Centennial Campus

NC State University will commission a design study to establish the overall space needs, costs and location for a potential new building for the Poole College of Management, as announced at the university’s buildings and property committee meeting on Jan. 26.

Poole College is currently housed in Nelson Hall on NC State’s main campus but is quickly outgrowing the space with over 4,400 students and nearly 200 full-time faculty and staff. To meet the college’s current space needs, Poole is currently leasing two off-campus spaces on Hillsborough St. to house the Jenkins MBA, Development and External Relations and the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative.

The facility [Nelson Hall] lacks the sort of flexible space that allows students to meet and work together on projects or hold a teleconference with a partner company. A new building could also provide students with communal spaces and the college with more room to hold events.

“But more so than simply lacking space, the building doesn’t have the right kind of space”, said Richard Warr, associate dean for faculty and research at Poole. “The facility lacks the sort of flexible space that allows students to meet and work together on projects or hold a teleconference with a partner company. A new building could also provide students with communal spaces and the college with more room to hold events.”

The initial study will begin once the architect firm is selected and will explore sites as well as roughly how much this near decade-long endeavor will cost. Following the completion of the study, college and university leadership will determine whether to continue the project. If the decision is made to continue, the next step would be to raise funds for the construction of the new building.

To select the design firm, a selection committee was formed that includes representatives from the university and the college:

• Erik Dixon, Trustee
• Lisa Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor and University Architect, Campus Planning and Strategic Investments, NC State Facilities
• Karen Creech, Facility Planner, Campus Planning and Strategic Investments, NC State Facilities
• Sumayya Jones-Humienny, Associate University Architect, Campus Planning and Strategic Investments, NC State Facilities
• Vikas Anand, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Poole College
• Richard Warr, Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, Poole College
• Maggie Merry, Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration, Poole College
• Jonathan Hennessy, Director of Facilities, Poole College