Missouri State Opens Construction Education Success Center at Kemper Hall

Kemper Hall, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, September 24, 2025

News Summary

Missouri State University will open a new Construction Education Success Center at Kemper Hall, a 10,000-square-foot addition and renovation for the School of Construction, Design and Project Management. Funded by the MoExcels Workforce Initiative and private gifts, the $9.6 million center expands hands-on construction training and connects students with local employers. The opening comes amid the university’s largest period of campus construction in decades — nearly $250 million in projects across campus — including major renovations and new facilities that are reshaping the campus landscape and academic capacity.

Missouri State Opens New Construction Education Success Center at Kemper Hall as Campus Nears $250 Million in Work

A new Construction Education Success Center at Missouri State’s Kemper Hall will be open to the public during a grand opening ceremony. The celebration is set for 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29. The event location: Kemper Hall, 921 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, in the high-bay training lab.

What opened and why it matters

The project is a 10,000‑square‑foot addition and renovation to the university’s School of Construction, Design and Project Management. The project cost was $9.6 million. Funding for the project came through the MoExcels Workforce Initiative and private gifts.

The new center will expand industry-focused space and training for the construction management program and aims to give students the technical and workplace skills local employers seek. University leaders describe the center as positioning the school to prepare the next generation of construction professionals and as part of broader efforts to support regional economic growth.

Campuswide construction at a glance

Missouri State is experiencing its most intense and expensive period of construction activity in decades. At one point there were 208 projects (an all‑time high) and the number had decreased to 194 projects (statement appears earlier in the article). University planning officials say the campus has almost $250 million worth of construction projects underway.

Most construction work is spread across the main Springfield campus, with key, highly visible projects concentrated along Grand Street and National Avenue. Officials say the hectic period of construction will continue through next summer, with many main projects scheduled to wrap up in fall 2026. Weather events caused some tree damage and heavy rain this spring and summer, but project leaders report minimal impact to overall timelines and expect to make up time in the schedule.

Major projects under way

The Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center is a $26.2 million project. It is scheduled to open in fall 2026. The building is adjacent to the Davis‑Harrington Welcome Center and will house university advancement and the Missouri State University Foundation. Excavation is complete, the slab is ready to be poured, and steel erection will begin this fall. The project will continue heavily into next fall with a goal of being ready by Homecoming 2026.

The Art Annex has been demolished to make way for the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Performing Arts Complex. The performing arts complex was made possible in part by the largest one‑time gift in university history. The state provided $17.5 million to support the project and an eight‑figure gift from the C.W. Titus Foundation was also part of funding for the project. The work is designed to enhance arts, social sciences, and humanities education and will transform the Grand Street entrance to campus, including a plaza area to greet visitors and improve the pedestrian experience.

The larger performing arts and renovation effort is a $96.4 million project that includes constructing a 66,500‑square‑foot addition to the building formerly called Temple Hall and renovating the existing building. The scheduled completion date for that project is June 2026. Project teams report that crews are close to finishing the first phase, some labs are fully functioning, and the addition will be fully open by fall 2025. Renovation of the original building will continue through next summer.

Other building work

Renovation work tied to the performing arts project is progressing but a fire related to a mechanical unit in early June is creating concerns for Craig Hall. The fire was not related to the renovation work. Originally classes were planned for Craig Hall in the fall, but the university is assessing the impact of the fire and replacement of damaged items. There is a small addition planned to Craig Hall on the west side that will add a scene shop.

A $16.9 million project to renovate part of Cheek Hall was recently started. The renovation will establish the Center for Transformational Education for Life, Physical, and Health Sciences in Cheek Hall. A construction fence has been established on the north side and the fence will remain essentially for the next year. The plan addresses deferred maintenance, improves facility functionality, and expands academic capacity in computer science, software development, and data science disciplines. About 43,400 square feet of space will be improved in the coming year as part of this work.

Other projects span a wide range of size and scope across campus. At one point the work included 182 projects worth $209 million plus nearly $17 million in consultant contracts and major projects named in planning work include renovations to Cheek, Craig, and Kampeter halls; an expansion and renovation of Blunt Hall; and construction of the Clifton M. Smart III University Advancement Center and the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Complex.

Facilities planning and historic buildings

Work to develop a new Facilities Master Plan started a year ago and the draft Facilities Master Plan is expected to be finalized this fall. The draft plan splits new projects into three categories: planned in the next five years, proposed in the following five to 10 years, and future potential projects 10–25 years away. Project leaders caution that many planned projects are not yet fully funded and that several are still at the “pixels and paper” stage.

Missouri State wants to preserve and upgrade McDonald Hall and Arena. McDonald Hall and Arena was built in 1940 with resources from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). Officials say the building is structurally solid, needs roof and HVAC work, and has been used for classrooms, offices, fitness and recreation space, and academic programs. With many major projects set to finish by fall 2026, leaders say McDonald will become a clean slate ready for future plans.

The university plans to relocate the Office of University Safety and the Springfield police substation from its current location off Cherry Street to University Hall. The existing building (current location off Cherry Street) would be demolished to make way for additional parking. University Hall is located just west of the Davis‑Harrington Welcome Center and near the bookstore and Plaster Student Union.

Work at Plaster Stadium has included an initial phase of cleaning, painting, new turf, and lighting. Future upgrades will be considered as part of the university’s move to Conference USA, including potential changes to the weight room and additions to create more suite areas. Karls Hall, home to the William H. Darr College of Agriculture, was built in 1957 and is being evaluated as part of a college-level mini master plan. Meyer Library leadership has changed and campus officials say the new library dean will review needs and develop a plan.

State construction funding context

At the state level, the Missouri House Budget Committee approved almost $4 billion in construction funding that included 45 new earmarked items. The package included reauthorizations tied to federal COVID relief funds and new general revenue items that increased construction spending by $76 million over the governor’s request. The committee added a range of small and large projects to the list, from a $60,000 maintenance shed to a $20 million parking garage tied to a larger hotel and conference center.

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Key features at a glance

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• News-Leader: MSU to open Construction Education Success Center
• Wikipedia: Missouri State University
• Missouri Independent: Missouri House committee approves $4 billion for state construction projects
• Google Search: Missouri construction budget 2025
• News-Leader: Missouri State ongoing construction and renovation projects
• Google Scholar: Missouri State University construction projects
• KY3: Ongoing construction sparks creative Tent Theatre at Missouri State
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Missouri State University
• News-Leader: Missouri State University facilities master plan — seven big changes
• Google News: Missouri State University construction projects

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