Enhancing the Physical Facility

A tangible indication of the progress being made by the Wisconsin School of Business is the transformation of Grainger Hall.

The four-story, $40.5 million addition to Grainger Hall, which will house Wisconsin MBA programs, has risen steadily over the past year.

The addition will be a major step forward for the full-time Wisconsin MBA program, providing a home for each career specialization and offering enhanced centralized resources for students. It also will offer enhanced space for the Wisconsin Enterprise MBA programs that serve the needs of working professionals.

The main goal of the addition is to provide a much more student-friendly gathering space and learning environment. It will also provide much-needed common spaces to help unify the business school community. The enhanced facility will offer substantial resources to better meet the needs of alumni and corporate constituents.

The addition is possible thanks to a $20 million gift from The Grainger Foundation. A classroom in the addition is made possible by gifts from Jeffrey J. Diermeier, BBA `74, MBA `75, and Julie Diermeier. Daniel Huber, BBA `58, and Pat Huber provided a gift for the additions’s new undergraduate computer lab. Additional gift funds and $10 million in general fund-supported borrowing will complete the project budget.

The Grainger Hall addition has been designed to meet or exceed current standards for sustainability. Special features include: no-net gain in storm-water runoff, high-efficiency building systems, use
of recycled materials and incorporation of daylight into more than 90 percent of the new space.

The addition will make possible:

  • Upgraded office space and classrooms for the full-time MBA program
  • A home for the career specializations that make up the full-time
    Wisconsin MBA and centralized resources for the program
  • Upgraded office space and classrooms for Enterprise MBA programs
  • Centralized student services offices for undergraduates
  • Expanded career services offices for undergraduates
  • New 200-seat dining facility
  • New undergraduate computer lab
  • Centralized stairs for easy access between floors
  • New and enlarged copy center
  • Additional storage

Looking Ahead

Completion of the Grainger Hall addition is slated for this coming summer. Its official opening will be held during Homecoming 2008, with Wisconsin Business Alumni invited to join in the celebration.