Preliminary Renderings Showcase New UC Lindner College of Business Building

The University of Cincinnati today shared preliminary renderings of the new building for the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, designed by internationally renowned Henning Larsen Architects with Cincinnati-based KZF Design as the architect of record. The designs, which the UC Board of Trustees will consider finalizing in the weeks ahead, feature a four-story building with glass facades, a grand atrium and lobby, open workspaces, a courtyard, a large café, lecture spaces, a teaching lab and more.

“The Lindner College of Business continues to distinguish itself as one of the best business schools in the nation,” said David Szymanski, dean of the Lindner College of Business. “Combining the impact of our corporate partnerships, the excellence of our people and the substance of our programs, this new facility will advance the university along with the entire region for decades to come. Working together with the business and alumni communities, we continue to elevate the region as a magnet of new talent, business success and a driver of innovation.”

In designing the 225,000-square-foot building, the architects focused on sustainability, planning for a green roof and leveraging natural light. They also carefully considered the types of study spaces students actually use, creating flexible space with clean lines throughout the interior.

The total project cost is estimated at $120 million, and fundraising to offset the cost already has commenced with more than $8 million in commitments to date. The innovative facility is expected to be completed by the 2019 fall semester and will occupy the current site of the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center and Faculty Club building. Temporary and permanent locations are being considered for the Alumni Association. The Bike Kitchen, currently located in the Faculty Club building, will be relocated to Dabney Hall, pending internal approvals.

"These renderings propose a building to accommodate a college experiencing unprecedented growth, an enviable rise in national rankings, leading edge programs in corporate engagement and the competitiveness of our student leaders in business competitions and entrepreneurship which demand new and innovative learning spaces like this type of building affords," said UC Interim President Beverly J. Davenport.

The current building, located at 2925 Campus Green Drive, is nearly three decades old and unable to accommodate the college’s rapid growth. Enrollment in undergraduate and graduate business degrees have both increased, up 30 percent and 100 percent since 2010. About one third of UC business classes are now taught outside Lindner Hall.

“Thank you to our generous donors who have stepped up to invest in not only a building, but the future of the Lindner College of Business and the Greater Cincinnati business community,” said UC Foundation President Rodney Grabowski. “The new building will transform the learning experience for students, while also providing more vital space for our faculty, staff and visiting business professionals.”

In recent years, the Lindner College of Business has received numerous national accolades. Its MBA program has earned the biggest three-year rankings jump in the country in U.S. News & World Report and the Lindner MBA was recently ranked the No. 1 best value MBA program in the United States by CollegeAtlas.org. Several of its undergraduates programs are also nationally ranked, including its marketing program which Bloomberg Businessweek recently ranked No. 5 in the nation among public universities. The new building will help propel this growth and spur further national and international recognition.