was awarded the request for proposal on Aug. 25 with a notice to proceed on Aug. 28, according to University of Minnesota documents. Perkins + Will was chosen over 11 other firms, including HDR Architects, HGA and RSP Architects.<\/p>\n
The schedule calls for pre-design of the proposed academic building to be ready by Feb. 26, 2027, with the university confirming the plan within two months. The timeline calls for the Heart of the Campus building to be ready to use in 2030.<\/p>\n
The estimated construction cost is $110 million, according to the university\u2019s planning documents.<\/p>\n
“The selected respondent will work with the University’s stakeholders to define and align programmatic priorities in a concrete building program. The selected respondent will recommend the optimal mix of programs in the building that maximizes the stakeholders’ functional needs and priorities, and aligns with the project’s site context and budget,” according to the RFP.<\/p>\n
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This is a page from the documents issued at applicants at the University of Minnesota Rochester’s Pre-Proposal Meeting on July 13, 2026.<\/p>\n
Choosing the design firm is the first step in the latest stage of UMR\u2019s growth in downtown. In June, UMR announced that it would be adding approximately 12,600 square feet of new and expanded lab and classroom space in <\/p>\n
the Two Discovery Square building.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis milestone represents far more than additional space,\u201d UMR Chancellor Lori Carrell said in a statement announcing <\/p>\n the lab expansion.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt reflects years of vision, advocacy and belief in what UMR can become and what we can achieve together.\u201d<\/p>\n In a \u201ctrajectory of growth\u201d chart included in the RPP documents, the Heart of the Campus academic building is listed as the phase following the lab expansion, but before the phase of adding to student housing and recreation space.<\/p>\n The UMR campus, which started with 57 students in 2009, has grown to an enrollment of 1,100 students in 2025. The university has stated that the proposed academic building is needed to support its growth. It has a “Boldest” goal to grow its student numbers to 2,500 by 2030. At that time, the student body is projected to be split between approximately 80% undergraduates and 20% professional partner programs, such as nursing, occupational therapy, and bioinformatics.<\/p>\n The RFP describes the proposed academic building as including four types of spaces.<\/p>\n High-tech, active learning classrooms.An \u201cAcademic House\u201d \u2014 \u201can academic consultative space for students, faculty and staff including the Center for Learning Innovation faculty and success coach offices and collaboration.\u201dThe \u201cHeart of the Campus\u201d \u2014 \u201ca flexible, large social gathering space for larger group events, accommodating both informal and formal gatherings, with both internal and external constituents.\u201dNational Institute for Learning Innovation & Research \u201cto support learning research and programming for professional development for external educators.\u201d<\/p>\n While many details about how UMR intends to use the proposed building were included in the RFP packet, it does not give any estimates on the size of the building or give a specific downtown location for it to be built.<\/p>\n When the original RPF was published, it stated that the university was \u201cin the process of vetting a site in Rochester to accommodate the new building.\u201d An addendum was added to the RFP on July 9 changing \u201ca site\u2019 to \u201cmultiple sites.\u201d The updated addendum also included the statement, \u201cThis process involves some discretion, therefore the selected sites being considered will be identified to the selected Respondents only. The selected consultant will assess and validate the program on two of the sites, and confirm infrastructure impacts based on information assembled by the University, City of Rochester, and Destination Medical Center (energy, water, sewer).\u201d<\/p>\n In the past, UMR has used public-private partnerships to develop in downtown Rochester. In 2007, the university moved into the two top floors of the Centerplace Galleria Mall at 111 S. Broadway, owned by the late Rochester developer Gus Chafoulias. It was <\/p>\n re-named as University Square.<\/a><\/p>\n UMR then partnered with his son, <\/p>\n Andy Chafoulias,<\/a><\/p>\n in 2023 <\/p>\n to transform the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel across the street from the mall into student housing.<\/a><\/p>\n The former hotel is now called the Student Life Center.<\/p>\n The UMR Campus update in 2024 mentioned renovations to UMR\u2019s fourth, third and second floor spaces in University Square as being \u201cnear-term priorities.<\/p>\n In 2025, Chafoulias demolished four buildings next door to the University Square. Those buildings previously housed the famous Michaels restaurant. That land is currently open and unused, which could make it a candidate for the proposed \u201cThe Heart of the Campus\u201d building.<\/p>\n Another possible spot for the new academic building could be on <\/p>\n UMR\u2019s land along First Avenue Southwest and Broadway,<\/a><\/p>\n near Soldiers Field Park. The university has purchased and demolished at least 10 buildings along First Avenue and Broadway in the past 16 years, while edging toward the original vision of a 10.5-acre campus mapped out in the Destination Medical Center plans for the subdistrict named \u201cUMR and Recreation.\u201d<\/p>\n While the university has not built anything throughout the years of property acquisition, UMR has referenced the possibility of building student housing and wellness spaces in that area.<\/p>\n UMR has also worked on downtown Rochester projects with G.H. Holdings, a partnership of Rochester architect Hal Henderson and business partner Grant Michaletz. G.H. Holdings built <\/p>\n