Construction debris, orange cones and closed sidewalks are all typical sights on the University of Maryland campus this fall. Here is a look into some ongoing construction projects on campus.
Purple Line
Campus Drive has been a site of constant construction and walking detours in preparation for the Purple Line since the beginning of this year.
The light rail line project will connect the campus directly to Washington, D.C. Metro and Maryland suburbs. There will be five stations in and around campus: Campus Drive, Adelphi Road, Route 1, the College Park Metro Station and Riverdale Park North.
“The Purple Line will provide a vital connection between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties,” Kathryn Lamb, the communications director for the Purple Line, said in an email. “[It] will bring new transportation options to all those living, working and learning in the region.”
[Metro’s Green Line to reopen Saturday after month-long closure]
Campus Drive is currently open to one lane of traffic. This past summer, Campus Drive and Union Lane were closed in both directions to expedite construction.
Purple Line construction will continue on campus for the next several years, but is now more than halfway done, Lamb said.
The contractual deadline for the full project is spring 2027. The project is set to cost around $3.6 billion.
Caroline Davisson, a senior government and politics and business management student, said there has been consistent construction during her time at the university, but this year is the worst she has ever seen due to the Purple Line construction.
As a resident assistant, Davisson has seen her freshmen residents struggle to find their way through campus with construction detours.
“When the pathways are constantly changing, or when construction is up, it’s difficult to get to class,” she said. “I know that’s really frustrating for them and it kind of detracts from their experience.”
Sophomore physics major Lee Smucke agreed that there seems to be no end point for on-campus construction, but hopes it will pay off in the end.
Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex
The Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex renovation on Paint Branch Drive is set to be completed in October.
The project’s budget is $17 million and construction began in June 2022.
The renovation expands the existing 5,500-square-foot facility into a 17,193-square-foot team house with additional coaching offices, meeting spaces, larger locker rooms and an improved sports medicine room.
Chemistry Wing 1 Replacement
The Chemistry Wing 1 replacement project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The project replaces the old wing with an energy-efficient, safe and collaborative research environment for the chemistry department, according to a university spokesperson.
[Maryland breaks ground on $52 million basketball practice facility slated to open in 2025]
The project costs around $121 million and began in June 2021.
Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center
The Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center will be the university’s first dedicated basketball practice facility for the men’s and women’s teams, according to the project website.
The center will neighbor Xfinity Center and include practice and programming space for the teams to counter current scheduling challenges that occur on Xfinity Center and Pavilion courts, according to the project’s website.
The project has a budget of $52 million and is estimated to be completed by June 2025.
Stanley R. Zupnik Hall
Stanley R. Zupnik Hall, a new facility for the mechanical and civil engineering department, is set to be completed in January 2026.
The construction project is located across from the IDEA Factory and the Kim Engineering building on Stadium Drive.
The $214 million project began in January 2023. Zupnik is a real estate mogul and alumni who donated $25 million towards the new building, according to the engineering school website.
