The orange zone on this map indicates the location of a temporary closure of Morrill Road adjacent to LeBaron Hall. Sidewalk closures and detours also will be part of the project. Maps courtesy of facilities planning and management.
The two-year process of demolishing and replacing LeBaron Hall will begin this summer. The $39 million project will require the temporary closing of a short section of Morrill Road with changes to traffic flow and a CyRide bus route, and temporary sidewalk closures.
Learn more
Listen to a recording of facilities planning and management project manager Liz Clarke talk about the LeBaron Hall construction project.
Construction -- led by Des Moines-based Neumann Brothers -- will begin with a fence erected around LeBaron in late June and work commencing July 1. The project will demolish LeBaron, replace it with a new building and renovate the circulation corridor connecting LeBaron to MacKay Hall and the Human Nutritional Sciences Building. Work is scheduled to conclude in fall 2026.
Project manager Liz Clarke, facilities planning and management, said the LeBaron auditorium is not part of this project and will remain in use during construction. Everyone will use the north or west entrances to get to the auditorium from outside.
Road closure
A section of Morrill Road adjacent to LeBaron will close at the end of June for the duration of the project. Two-way traffic will be allowed on the south end of the road, up to the closure. A temporary turnaround at the Morrill Hall and Hub service driveway will be available for drivers making deliveries and employees who park along Morrill Road. The closure will eliminate some parking on Morrill during construction, and the parking division is contacting impacted drivers.
Trucks delivering materials and equipment to and from the construction site will follow one route, arriving to the north side of campus, traveling west on Pammel Drive, south on Bissell Road, east on Osborn Drive and finally south on Morrill (see map below). Whenever possible, deliveries will avoid the busiest times of the day, Clarke said.
CyRide and sidewalks
Beginning Monday, May 13, CyRide's orange route 23 will be rerouted around Morrill Road for the duration of the road closure, no longer stopping at Parks Library or Beardshear Hall. Instead of turning south on Morrill Road from Osborn Drive, buses will continue west to Bissell Road and travel south on Bissell to Union Drive.
Morrill Road's westside sidewalk will remain open for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicyclists will dismount and walk their bikes through the closed road area.
Portions of sidewalks north, east and south of LeBaron will be closed throughout the project with signs posted to alert pedestrians.
Trees and art
Clarke said trees within the construction area were evaluated by experts.
"A limited number of trees were identified for removal due to poor condition," she said. "There will be exclusionary fencing installed around several trees that will remain and be monitored."
Pieces of public art in or near the construction site will be disassembled, stored during the project and reinstalled after completion.
Construction vehicles bringing supplies and equipment will follow the dotted red path to and from the construction site. Two-way traffic will be allowed along the length of Morrill Road shaded in blue.
