University of Kentucky law school embarks on $56 million renovation

With a ceremonial groundbreaking, the University of Kentucky College of Law in Lexington has begun a $56 million renovation and expansion project.

The law school has provided details of the architectural plans and launched a building campaign, "Raising the Bar, Together."

“This project goes beyond a building," law school dean David A. Brennen says. "This project is about coming together and investing in UK Law’s future, the success of its students, its impact on public understanding of legal issues, and its engagement in law reform. It will certainly help us provide a 21st century legal education.”

The project will significantly update and enhance a building constructed in 1965. Plans call for an increase in educational space, as well as high-tech enhancements to classrooms and study spaces for law students.

Initial work on the law building began in mid-July. The timetable calls for completion of the project by fall 2019.

Highlights of the facility upgrade:

•The footprint of the college will expand by 26 percent to 122,513 square feet.

•A new main entrance with a porch facing Memorial Hall that improves the gateway to the university.

•A modernized 185-seat moot courtroom designed for oral argument training, live appellate court proceedings, large lectures and conferences.

•A new small moot courtroom for litigation training that also can be used as a classroom.

•11 new classrooms—four 25-seat classrooms, four 80-seat classrooms, and three 50-seat classrooms.

•More than 20 collaborative study or breakout rooms.

•An outdoor gathering space that will serve as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff.

•A new third floor with three classrooms convertible into one large multipurpose room, able to accommodate from 150 - 400 people. The space will also open onto a roof terrace offering spectacular views of Memorial Hall and campus.

The project is being financed with $35 million in state bonds and $21 million in bonds issued by the university, The Lexington Herald-Leader reports. Those are to be paid back through a combination of general fund money and private fundraising.

During construction, law school faculty and classes are temporarily housed at the former Lexington Theological Seminary.

The architects for the project are Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Sherman Carter Barnhart. The construction manager is Congleton-Hacker Company.

MORE: Fly-Through Video of project from University of Kentucky College of Law: