Howard University has announced a historic investment to build upon and revitalize its campus master plan. The University will invest $785 million to build three new state-of-the-art multidisciplinary academic buildings and renovate several existing structures. This is the largest construction real estate initiative in the school’s history. 

The new academic centers include the Health Sciences Complex, which will house the College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy, and the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences; the Center for Arts and Communications, which will house the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and the Cathy Hughes School of Communications; and the STEM Center, which will house various STEM programs and disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, mathematics, and associated labs. 

“This is a watershed moment in the history of our institution,” said Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University. “Because of the tremendously enhanced financial posture we have worked so hard to achieve, the state of the University has never been stronger. The leadership of our board and executive team, along with the caliber of students we have enrolled, the illustrious faculty we have assembled, the dedicated staff we have hired, and the committed alumni base we have cultivated, presents an opportunity for us to solidify Howard’s status as one of the preeminent institutions of higher education in the country.” 

The investment is part of a phased Central Campus Master Plan (CCMP) that was announced in 2020. The plan serves as a roadmap for the long-term transformation of Howard’s main campus through capital improvements. These efforts were made possible through enrollment growth, increased philanthropic and public investment in the school, and Howard’s efforts to build financial strength as part of its Howard Forward five-year strategic plan. 

Over the last several years, Howard has undergone significant campus renovations, including the full renovation of the Undergraduate Library in 2021, the re-opening of the historic Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall in 2021, and the construction of the Interdisciplinary Research Building (IRB) in 2015. During this time, the University has renovated 80 percent of its residence halls. The CCMP also includes the construction of roughly 1,500 additional housing units. 

Construction on the master plan improvements is set to commence this year and is expected to be completed by 2026.