University of Minnesota-Rochester expansion plans approved
Plans for the expansion of the University of Minnesota-Rochester have won approval from the Board of Regents.
The new 10-acre campus will be located at the southern end of downtown, replacing the current campus in University Square, a shopping mall. University leaders hope to have the first building constructed within six years.
The $60 million structure will have 120,000 square feet and contain classrooms and labs, offices and retail space.
Chancellor Stephen Lehmkuhle said the growing campus won't be separate from downtown, but a part of it.
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"Having a campus that's both physically and programmatically immersed in the community creates much better learning and development opportunities for students," Lehmkuhle said.
Campus leaders hope to have enrollment grow from 800 students to 1,400 within 10 years.
They said it could take more than two decades to fully build the campus.
It's not clear what the total cost will be.