Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management will demolish its James L. Allen Center to make way for a new $300 million building on Evanston’s lakefront.
The building will nearly double the number of classroom seats and house Kellogg’s executive MBA and non-degree executive education programs. It will also serve as the center of the university’s Full Circle Campaign, aimed at bolstering Northwestern’s reputation and “reinventing” business education, the university said Wednesday.
The Full Circle Campaign’s goal is to raise $600 million for Kellogg, with funds also going toward research and opportunities to connect students with business leaders. A Kellogg spokesperson said so far it has raised more than $182.6 million.
The campaign will contribute $170 million to the new lakefront building, and half of that amount has been raised, according to the spokesperson.
Northwestern said the state-of-the-art and technology-enhanced building will have 22,000 square feet of classroom space and 48 group study rooms. Classrooms will accommodate hybrid teaching and bring together students, alumni, corporate leaders and elite faculty from around the world.
There will also be 160 guest rooms in the building’s hotel for overnight guests and other visitors as well as seven dining spaces, an executive club with a bar and other amenities for private events.
The unnamed building, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, will be next to its flagship Kellogg Global Hub. A tunnel will link the properties, along with a greenspace and second entrance on the building’s north end.
Hana Kassem, design principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox, said the building’s design is meant to celebrate the lakefront and expand Kellogg’s footprint.
“Our concept is based on connections to nature that promote well-being by incorporating natural materials and organic textures throughout the interior spaces, combined with cutting-edge dynamic learning and collaboration environments that further the mission and reach of Kellogg,” Kassem said.
Demolition of the Allen Center will begin in January 2025, according to a university spokesperson. Work on the new building will begin in winter 2025.
The school anticipates completing and occupying the building by fall 2027.
