UofL unveils $90 million classroom, research building for its Speed School

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The University of Louisville officially opened the new $90 million Student Success & Research Building for its J.B. Speed School of Engineering, hailed as a new center for student collaboration and research.

The 114,000-square-foot facility on the Speed School's Eastern Parkway campus is a modern home for classroom space, lab facilities, conference rooms and more.

"UofL is a nationally recognized leader in driving innovation, spurring economic growth and providing students with the education and experience they need to succeed in the real world," UofL President Gerry Bradley said in a news release Thursday. "This amazing new facility, with state-of-the-art amenities, will speed those efforts, creating bold new opportunities for our students, researchers and the commonwealth."

UofL leaders were joined by state officials for an unveiling Thursday, heralding the building as a new tool to prepare Kentucky's next generation of engineers.

"This new Student Success & Research Building represents a strategic investment in Kentucky’s future," Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said in a news release. "With expanded lab space, collaborative learning environments and a focus on innovation, it strengthens our capacity to educate the next generation of engineers and problem-solvers. The state’s $65 million commitment to this project reflects the vital role UofL and the Speed School play in building a stronger, more competitive commonwealth. Louisville has long been the economic engine of Kentucky, and the Speed School is one of its most powerful engines of opportunity and growth."

This story may be updated.

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