Plans for a new engineering building at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have hit a major roadblock after the State Building Commission rejected a funding adjustment and construction approval on Wednesday, according to The Capital Times. Without the commission’s green light, the long-awaited project remains stalled.
The proposed Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center, a 395,000-square-foot facility designed to house classrooms, research labs, and industry collaboration spaces, is intended to address rising enrollment, outdated facilities, and Wisconsin’s growing demand for engineers.
In December 2022, UW–Madison secured $197 million in state funding for the project as part of a broader deal between Republican lawmakers and the Universities of Wisconsin. The agreement also included provisions for diversity, equity, and inclusion positions as well as pay raises for university employees.
Ian Robertson, dean of UW–Madison’s College of Engineering, had anticipated that final approvals from the UW Board of Regents and the State Building Commission would pave the way for construction. The timeline aimed for the new building to open in fall 2028, supporting thousands of additional engineering students.
Earlier this month, the Board of Regents approved a $72 million budget increase for the project, reallocated $29 million from existing funds, and authorized construction to begin. However, the State Building Commission’s vote on Wednesday ended in a 4–4 deadlock, halting progress.
Gov. Tony Evers, who chairs the commission, joined three others — state Sen. Brad Pfaff, state Rep. Jill Billings, and citizen member Barb Worcester — in supporting the project. Republican legislators André Jacque, Mary Felzkowski, Rob Swearingen, and Robert Wittke voted against it, effectively blocking the next steps.
