UW-Green Bay gets approval to start $101M Cofrin Library replacement
GREEN BAY – The construction of the new library at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has been given the green light after the State Building Commission this week approved approximately $262 million in key projects across Wisconsin.
UWGB will construct a new five-story Cofrin Technology and Education Center, according to the news release from Gov. Tony Evers.
The cost will be $101 million, according to UWGB Chancellor Michael Alexander, which is more than the $96.3 million that was approved in 2021 in the state budget.
“This landmark project will house the library, campus administration, and the departments of Student Success and First Nations Education,” the governor’s news release said. “The new building will feature sustainable elements like a green roof, solar panels, and natural landscaping.”
Alexander told the Press-Gazette that Cofrin will be a big upgrade for the campus, as the current building is in bad condition and is falling apart.
“The current building is falling down and was designed as a perfect library for the early 1970s. The library is currently the centerpiece of our institution,” Alexander said. “We want it to reflect how education is moving in the future.”
Construction is expected to commence in spring 2025. Alexander also told the Press-Gazette that the improved library is scheduled to be ready by February 2027. Afterward, the old library will be demolished.
Source: UW-Green Bay gets approval to start $101M Cofrin Library replacement
