NSU Starts Work on $118M Facility to Expand Science and Research Opportunities
Norfolk State University (NSU) marked a major milestone on April 18 with a groundbreaking ceremony for its $118 million New Science Building, a project that promises to redefine the future of science education and research on campus. The event, which drew students, faculty, state officials, and community leaders, received widespread media coverage across WHRO, WAVY, The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia Business, and other outlets.
The new 131,000-square-foot facility will replace the Roy A. Woods Science Building and unite NSU’s biology, chemistry, and physics departments under one roof, alongside the Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences (DNIMAS). With a planetarium, greenhouse, makerspace, and student-centered collaboration areas, the building is designed to foster innovation, interdisciplinary learning, and public engagement.
“This building will showcase science with its transformative architecture, thereby inspiring students to believe and achieve their goals,” said Dr. Michael Keeve, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.
Work Program Architects (WPA) and SmithGroup lead the design team, while S.B. Ballard Construction Company is serving as the Construction Manager. “This project puts scientific research and education on display in an environment that is inclusive, interactive and energizing,” said CEO Mel Price.
University leaders and project architects emphasized the building’s dual mission: supporting academic excellence while welcoming broader community engagement. Outdoor learning environments will connect the facility to the Ohio Creek watershed, while flexible interior spaces are designed to evolve alongside scientific discovery.
“It is another example of how Norfolk State University is building for the future of our students, our university and our community,” said NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston.
Set to open in Fall 2027, the facility is targeting LEED Gold certification and aims to serve as a national model for immersive, interdisciplinary science education.
Read coverage of the groundbreaking from WAVY, WHRO, 13News Now, The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia Business, and The HBCU Advocate.
Join us on Wednesday, March 27th for a tour of the Norfolk State University Innovation Center on Main Street. Located in the heart of Norfolk’s business district, the center was created in partnership between the Norfolk State University Research & Innovation Foundation and the City of Norfolk to create a space to better connect students, faculty, and alumni with the greater business community. Because there is no defined end user, the Center is a model for flexibility and serve many purposes. It includes small and large conference areas that can be reconfigured many different ways. The space also includes individual break-out spaces and collaborative work areas, informal sitting and lounge areas, a catering kitchen/break room and four touch-down office spaces. Work Program Architects and Norfolk State University will be speaking about the center.
