Marist Reveals Plan for Huge New Building on Poughkeepsie Campus

Marist University has announced a $100 million investment that will change the skyline of its Poughkeepsie campus.

For decades, Marist University has been upgrading the student experience with new dorms, athletic facilities, libraries and academic buildings. Now, the school is preparing for what could be one of its biggest projects yet.

$100 Million Project Announced by Marist University

Marist announced this week that it will invest $100 million into a major new Science and Health Initiative that includes a massive new academic building on campus. The centerpiece of the project is a new 100,000-square-foot Science and Health facility that will connect directly to the university’s existing Allied Health building.

According to Marist, the project is designed to help meet the growing demand for careers in healthcare and science fields while modernizing the university’s aging lab and classroom spaces.

The new facility will be built on the east side of campus near the Beck parking lot and will include updated laboratories, research areas, classrooms, gathering spaces and even a cafe for students. Early renderings show a huge glass-filled structure overlooking the Hudson River.

Investment Aimed at Making Students More Competitive

University officials say the project is not necessarily about dramatically increasing enrollment, but instead making Marist more competitive for students pursuing science and healthcare careers. The school is also exploring the addition of a nursing program and a new physics major in the coming years.

One of the biggest reasons for the expansion appears to be the limitations of Donnelly Hall, which currently houses many of Marist’s science programs. Administrators acknowledged the building was never really designed for modern scientific research and advanced lab equipment.

The project would create a combined science and health complex totaling more than 150,000 square feet, making it even larger than the university’s recently opened Dyson Center.

Marist says the project will be funded through a mix of fundraising, donations, university resources and long-term borrowing. School officials are currently working through local approvals and hope to break ground this fall.

If everything stays on schedule, the new building could open for students during the 2028-29 academic year.