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The University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees approved $135 million for two campus construction projects on Aug. 25. The funding includes $120 million for a new STEM Academic Facility at the Crosley Tower site and $15 million to complete renovations at a former YMCA building on Calhoun Street. The STEM facility is expected to begin construction in 2027, while the renovated YMCA will become a student hub.
The University of Cincinnati (UC) construction projects received a major funding boost Tuesday as the UC Board of Trustees approved $135 million for two projects.
The construction projects include a new STEM Academic Facility and renovations to a former YMCA building on Calhoun Street.
Cincinnati Business Courier first reported the approvals after the board’s Aug. 25 meeting. Local 12 also reported the decision, citing its partnership with the Business Courier.
The board approved $120 million for the new STEM Academic Facility and $15 million to complete renovations at the former YMCA building.
The projects are part of a broader University of Cincinnati campus redevelopment effort. UC has several major construction projects underway or in planning as it prepares for continued enrollment growth.
UC construction projects reshape the Uptown campus
The largest of the UC construction projects will replace the aging Crosley Tower with a new STEM Academic Facility.
UC describes the planned building as a classroom and laboratory facility. It will occupy the site of Crosley Tower on the northern portion of the Uptown campus.
The university expects Crosley Tower demolition to finish by February 2027. Site work for the replacement facility can then move forward.
According to UC, the new STEM building will cover about 200,000 square feet. The university estimates the broader project at approximately $304 million, including demolition and site preparation.
UC expects construction on the new academic facility to begin in 2027. The project currently carries a projected completion date in 2029.
The facility will serve students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. It will include classrooms, laboratories, study spaces and other academic areas.
UC also expects the building to strengthen connections between classroom instruction, research and cooperative education.
The university says the project will particularly support students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science and the College of Arts and Sciences.
UC construction projects include former YMCA renovation
The second approval covers a much smaller building but gives UC another new student-focused space.
Trustees approved $15 million to finish renovating a former YMCA building on Calhoun Street. The university acquired the approximately 17,000-square-foot property in 2025.
UC plans to transform the long-vacant building into a student hub called “the Why.” Local 12 reported the approval and described the facility as part of UC’s ongoing campus development.
The project will give the university another renovated space near the center of its Uptown campus.
The former YMCA building has remained vacant for an extended period. UC’s plans will bring the property back into active use.
The student hub adds another component to the university’s broader effort to create new spaces for students. It also comes as UC begins a new academic year with a growing student population.
UC reported a record first-year class for fall 2026. The university also said first-generation students are projected to represent nearly 30 percent of all undergraduates.
That enrollment growth has coincided with several major construction and renovation projects across campus.
UC construction projects follow major campus growth
The $135 million approval comes as UC continues a significant expansion of its physical campus.
The university is already building a $326 million student housing development near East McMillan and Vine streets. The project will provide more than 1,300 student beds when it opens in fall 2027.
The housing project includes three interconnected structures on one block and another building across Scioto Lane. UC said the development represents its largest new housing project in university history.
The university also has plans for a new Welcome Gateway Building near Calhoun Street and Clifton Avenue.
That project would provide a major entrance for prospective students and their families. Plans call for a bookstore, cafe, auditorium, rehearsal spaces, art galleries and classrooms.
UC estimates the Welcome Gateway project at about $200 million. The university has already approved $12 million for its design phase.
Another major project involves Holmes Hospital and the College of Nursing.
UC trustees previously approved $8 million for the design and preconstruction phase of a planned nursing college relocation. The broader project carries an estimated total cost of $105 million, according to UC.
These projects show the scale of UC’s current capital program. The university is investing in academic facilities, student housing and campus services at the same time.
STEM facility will replace Crosley Tower
The Crosley Tower replacement remains one of the most visible pieces of the UC construction projects.
The tower has long been a recognizable structure on UC’s Uptown campus. Its demolition is now making way for a new academic building designed around modern classroom and laboratory needs.
UC said demolition was more than halfway complete in July. The university expects the demolition work to finish by February 2027.
The new facility will also create a new campus presence along Martin Luther King Drive. UC said it will become the university’s first building facing that roadway.
The project will include spaces for hands-on learning and research. UC also expects the facility to support preparation for cooperative education opportunities.
University officials have described the investment as important to the future of STEM education and Ohio’s workforce.
The scale of the project also means construction activity will continue around the Uptown campus for several years.
For Cincinnati residents, the redevelopment will change a prominent portion of the university’s skyline and campus layout.
UC construction projects coincide with record enrollment
The latest spending approval comes just as UC welcomes students for the 2026-27 academic year.
UC said its incoming class includes a record number of first-year students. The university also reported continued growth among first-generation students and UC Blue Ash College students.
The university expects nearly 15,300 undergraduates to be first-generation college students. That figure represents almost 30 percent of UC’s undergraduate population.
UC Blue Ash also reported enrollment growth heading into the fall semester. The regional campus said enrollment increased approximately 3 percent from the previous year, bringing total enrollment above 5,000 students.
That growth puts additional attention on classroom capacity, housing and student services.
The new STEM facility and renovated Calhoun Street property will add different types of space to the university’s campus.
The STEM building will primarily support academic instruction and research. The former YMCA will instead provide a student-focused gathering and service space.
What the $135 million UC approval means
The Aug. 25 trustee action provides another step toward two significant UC projects.
The $120 million STEM allocation supports development of the new academic facility at the Crosley Tower site. The $15 million YMCA allocation will complete renovations to the former Calhoun Street property.
Together, the approvals total $135 million in new funding measures.
The projects also fit within a much larger transformation of UC’s Uptown campus. Other projects include new student housing, the planned Welcome Gateway Building and the proposed College of Nursing relocation.
The university’s construction program comes as enrollment reaches new levels. UC’s latest campus plans therefore combine academic expansion with additional housing and student services.
The Crosley replacement will remain the larger and longer-term project. Construction is expected to begin after demolition and site preparation finish.
The former YMCA renovation should provide a smaller but more immediate addition to student life on Calhoun Street.
FAQs
How much did UC approve for the two construction projects?
The University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees approved funding measures totaling $135 million. The funding includes $120 million for the new STEM Academic Facility and $15 million for the former YMCA renovation.
What will replace Crosley Tower?
A new STEM Academic Facility will replace Crosley Tower on UC’s Uptown campus. The planned facility will provide classrooms, laboratories, study areas and other academic spaces.
What will happen to the former YMCA building?
UC plans to renovate the approximately 17,000-square-foot former YMCA building on Calhoun Street. The university plans to turn it into a student hub called “the Why.”
When will construction begin on the new STEM facility?
UC expects construction on the new STEM Academic Facility to begin in 2027. Crosley Tower demolition and related site work must occur before construction can begin.
