Law School Facilities Project Showcase

Bricks Bytes and Continuous Renovations
Law School Web sites
November 28, 2005
By Jocelyn Kennedy

Jocelyn Kennedy, research assistant to Professor Penny A. Hazelton (also Chair of the Law School Facilities Committee), reviewed all US law school websites for potential inclusion on the Law School Facilities Committee (ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar) website. She looked specifically for websites that contain information about new construction or renovation projects on law school campuses across the country where the website would provide guidance or general information to law schools that are engaged in or will be engaged in construction projects.

The below list of ABA-approved law schools is arranged alphabetically. A brief description of the contents of each Web site is included. Law schools with no construction projects but who have created impressive virtual tours of their campus are included.

Schools in Puerto Rico were not included as the Web sites are in Spanish. Web pages related to pre-1997 law school construction projects are also not included.

University of Alabama
www.law.ua.edu/building
The University of Alabama began construction on a two story addition and renovation of the existing law school in 2005. Completion of the project is expected in 2006. This website features descriptions of the project, updates of building progress and photographs of construction.

Baylor University
law.baylor.edu/New_Building/virtualtour.htm
Although construction was completed in 2001, Baylor University's website continues contain a virtual tour of their updated facilities. This website includes interactive floor plans, historical information, and a visual and textual "virtual" tour of the Baylor Law School facilities. Includes information on costs, funding, architects, and start of the art technologies used at the school.

University of California - Berkeley
www.law.berkeley.edu/1973.htm
Berkeley began construction/renovation of its law school facilities in the fall of 2008 with completion expected in spring 2011.

University of California - Davis
www.law.ucdavis.edu/about_school/building.html
UC-Davis is in the process of adding 19,500 square feet to the existing law school. This webpage features a detailed project program plan that includes floor plans, budgets, and space allocation.

University of Colorado School of Law
www.colorado.edu/about/wolf/
The University of Colorado began planning for a new building in 1997, broke ground in 2005, and completed construction in September 2006. The Law School maintains a website that features links to a QuickTime movie with construction updates, a list of contacts that includes the architects, fundraising campaign information, funding chronology, documents and building plans as well as a web cam and photos. This is perhaps the most extensive and useful of all of the websites reviewed.

Duke University
www.law.duke.edu/building/
Duke began extensive renovations of its law school facility in 2004. This website features a photo slide show of construction, a webcam, and general progress information.

University of Florida
www.law.ufl.edu/construction/index.shtml
The University of Florida completed renovations of classroom and library space in 2004. The UF website contains site plans, photographs, a virtual tour and a construction timeline.

Georgetown University School of Law
www.law.georgetown.edu/ccp/notes.html
Georgetown Law Center completed construction of the Hotung International Building in fall 2004. Visit the website to see construction notes, take an architectural tour, view a construction movie, and visit the project architects.

Loyola University, New Orleans
www.loyno.edu/newsandcalendars/loyolatoday/2004/12/lawconstruction.html
Building plans were underway at Loyola prior to Hurricane Katrina. This site is not active at this time, however Loyola and Tulane will be schools to watch as they recover from the devastating effects of a natural disaster.

University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi Law School Campaign
Features fundraising updates and photos of the new law school building under construction.

University of North Dakota
www.law.und.nodak.edu/Library/librenovations/index.php
Renovation of the Olaf H. Thormodsgard Law Library began in May 2003 and ended in July, 2003. This website depicts, through photographs and commentary, the renovation process.

University of Oklahoma
Law Library Tour
From January 2000 to January 2002, the Donald E. Pray Law Library at the University of Oklahoma College of Law underwent construction. This website links to a photo archive of the construction process.

Pace Law School, New York
law.pace.edu/news/2003/campusRenovation2003.html
Multiple construction projects were underway at Pace between 2000 and 2005. A brief outline of those projects is available on the website.

Pennsylvania State - Dickinson School of Law - University Park Campus
www.dsl.psu.edu/news/statement.cfm
The Dickinson School of Law is in the beginning stages of planning for a major construction and renovation project. For general information about the construction and renovations plans, visit their website. This may be a site to watch as the school plans to open its new facilities in fall 2006.

Rutgers University School of Law- Camden
http://camlaw.rutgers.edu/site/main/building.shtml
In 2006, Rutgers-Camden begin construction of a 55,000 square foot building, which was completed in April 2009.

Southwestern University
www.swlaw.edu/campus
Southwestern is notable for its renovation of a pre-existing post-war department store into a law school. Although the website simply offers a look at the campus as completed, SW demonstrates that there are alternatives to new construction.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School
www.cooley.edu/3rd4thfloor/index.htm
The Thomas Cooley Law School continues renovation and construction of its Lansing facilities. Photographs of construction and floor plans of the completed project can be viewed on their website.

Vanderbilt University Law School
law.vanderbilt.edu/about/tour/index.html
Vanderbilt completed construction and renovation of its facilities in 2002. On their website you will find two virtual tour options: a slide show and a panoramic QuickTime slide show. The site also features floor plans of the building and a brief history of the renovation and construction process.

Washburn University School of Law
washburnlaw.edu/remodel/
In 2004 Washburn University remodeled several classrooms and other spaces within its pre-existing building. The site contains a description of the project and photographs of the remodel.

University of Washington
www.law.washington.edu/GatesHall/Default.aspx
In 2003, the UW School of Law moved into a newly built facility on the University of Washington main campus, William H. Gates Hall. The website features descriptions of the building and its technology and photographs of the construction process.