FSU hosts groundbreaking for new $69.3M College of Education building

By Stephanie Meador, posted Dec 12, 2024 on BizFayetteville.com

Founded in 1867, Fayetteville State University is the second oldest public university in North Carolina. With $136 and a dream of launching a school of higher education, seven founders set the foundation for this legacy that continues to foster the next generation of educators. What began as “The Howard School” for training teachers has grown and developed into a thriving university that serves over 7,000 students.

“Today's event marks more than just the beginning of construction. It represents the continuation of a vision, one that runs deep within Fayetteville State's history. For years, the G.L. Butler Building has served as home for our College of Education, nurturing countless educators who have shaped minds across our state and beyond. Today, we stand ready to build upon that legacy with a state of the art facility that will reiterate the university's founding as a teacher training institution,” shared Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, FSU Board Chairwoman.

A rendering of the new building, provided by FSU.

FSU’s new College of Education building cost $69.3M and will encompass a total of 72,027 square feet. The facility’s four stories will feature a blend of classrooms, conference rooms and faculty offices resulting in over 30 dedicated learning and collaboration spaces and more than 60 private office spaces in the new building. With expanded space comes the opportunity to expand programming as well. Dr. Chandrika Johnson, Dean of the College of Education, explained that the new building will allow them to expand their reading clinics, have more space for teaching fellows and introduce a new special education program.

Dean Johnson, an alumnus of the school herself, confirmed that there are currently 820 students enrolled in FSU’s College of Education.

FSU has partnered with Metcon Construction Inc. to build the new facility. Construction is expected to be complete in time for a ribbon cutting in summer 2026 and to welcome students into the new building for the fall 2026 semester. FSU has also partnered with Metcon to construct a new residence hall that is set to open in fall of 2025.

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