The $285.5 million project – the largest construction project ever on the UW campus – also will include South Hall, which is still under construction, but will be ready for students during the second semester of 2026. These new facilities are the first new residence halls for UW students in 60 years.

Construction began in November 2022, with JE Dunn Construction chosen as the general contractor. North Hall has 410 beds, and South Hall will have 542 beds.

“The addition of the new dormitories and Dining Center makes UW an even more wonderful place for Wyoming students to further their education,” said Kermit C. Brown, Chairman of the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees. “They provide a healthy and stimulating living environment conducive to success at the college level. I look forward to seeing the many ways our students will benefit from these improvements.”

The impetus for the project is largely about the quality of student life, Brown said. The new halls are designed to better foster UW’s robust Freshman Interest Groups and Living-Learning Communities, where students share classes and activities with their residence hall neighbors who share similar interests and majors. The five- and six-story halls offer single-use bathrooms and a variety of room types, including doubles, singles, semi-suites with a private bath, and semi-suites with a shared bath. The new halls are centrally located next to the Wyoming Union and Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center.

The buildings total more than 300,000 square feet: North Hall is 183,029 square feet, including a 71,258-square-foot dining hall on the main and mezzanine levels; South Hall is 123,853 square feet. The architect, alm2s, partnered with Plan One of Cheyenne, and Mackey Mitchell Architects of St. Louis on the design.

“It’s been a great experience partnering with the University of Wyoming and alm2s on this important addition to campus life,” said Will Peterson, JE Dunn Project Director. “Watching student excitement build over the last couple of years has been really rewarding, and we’re proud to deliver a space designed for students to live, dine, and connect. We’re excited to stay on campus as we move toward completing the South Hall for the Spring semester.”

The two-story Dining Hall, with nine serving stations that will cater to a large audience including students, faculty, staff, and Laramie residents, should become a hub for campus life.

“We want to welcome not just our new students, but all of campus and Laramie to what we think is going to be a wonderful dining experience,” said Vaishali Parag Chitnis, Associate Director for UW’s Dining Services. “Our new stations feature state-of-the-art equipment, and our executive chefs, Mathew Branson and Kunal Sinha, are extremely creative and talented and lead a dedicated team of chefs and cooks.”

The post The Wait is Over – North Hall, New Dining Center Welcome UW Students first appeared on JE Dunn Construction.

The awarded grants include:

Boys & Girls Club of the Pikes Peak Region – $150,000

Boys & Girls Club of the Pikes Peak Region has been awarded a $150,000 Cornerstone Grant for an HVAC system replacement at the E.A. Tutt Club. This initiative addresses the urgent need for a safe and climate-controlled environment for the Club’s youth, staff, and volunteers by replacing non-functioning rooftop heating and cooling units. The grant will fund the installation of new HVAC systems that will improve air quality, regulate temperature, reduce allergens, and create a healthier, more comfortable space for learning and development. With this upgrade, the Club will be able to resume vital programming, including summer camps, and better serve the 1,300 youth who rely on its services—72% of whom live at, or below, the poverty line. This project is a foundational step in ensuring that every child has a safe, supportive space to grow and thrive.

“We’ve tried to address air conditioning at this club for 24 years,” said the Club’s CEO, James Sullivan. “The opportunity for young people to be in a building where they can be comfortable only enhances our ability to be more impactful. It’s a significant contribution at $150,000; that’s almost unheard of in our world. It’s so significant, but the partnership goes even further than just this. We actually go back almost 10 years with projects,” Sullivan says. “I would ask other corporations to model JE Dunn.”

Judi’s House/JAG Institute – $50,000

Judi’s House received a $50,000 Cornerstone Grant for its core group therapy program, Pathfinders. Pathfinders provides developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, grief support to children and caregivers navigating the death of a loved one. The grant will help fund direct program costs, including staff salaries and therapeutic materials used in their Pathfinders curriculum. Through art, play, and psychoeducation, the program fosters healing and connection while building healthy coping skills. Offered both onsite and in approximately 20 schools across Metro Denver, Pathfinders ensures access to care for families regardless of income. With 1 in 12 Colorado children expected to experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18, this program plays a vital role in promoting resilience and long-term well-being.

After losing his mother to cancer at age 12, former NFL quarterback Brian Griese and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese, founded Judi’s House. The Aurora-based nonprofit offers free grief counseling to children and families. With its research arm, JAG Institute, Judi’s House is a national leader in childhood bereavement care.

“Attending Pathfinders promotes healthy development among bereaved youth and their caregivers, leading to improved health, strong relationships, academic success, job stability, and self-confidence,” said Judi’s House CEO Micki Burns, PhD. “We applaud JE Dunn and its employees for valuing this important work.”

The 2025 Cornerstone Campaign underscores JE Dunn’s dedication to making a tangible difference in the communities where its employees live and work.

The post JE Dunn Awards $200,000 in Cornerstone Grants to Rocky Mountain Nonprofits – Funds to Support Safe and Supportive Spaces for Kids in Need first appeared on JE Dunn Construction.

The topping out ceremony was held onsite to celebrate the placement of the last structural steel beam. More than 200 project team members and trade partners, in addition to several NREL and DOE leadership members and key stakeholders, gathered to mark the occasion, signing the beam before it was hoisted into place on the north building.

“Reaching this milestone less than a year after breaking ground is a true testament to the strength of intentional collaboration,” said JE Dunn Project Executive Charlie Slattery. “EMAPS is a uniquely complex project and the progress we’ve made so far has reflects the dedication, innovation, and teamwork of JE Dunn, SmithGroup, NREL, and the trade partners on-site. While there’s still plenty of work ahead, the energy and anticipation we’re already seeing on campus speaks volumes about the impact this facility will have.”

The 129,000-square-foot facility, located on the east side of NREL’s South Table Mountain Campus, is designed to accelerate the scale-up of advanced energy materials from lab research to market-ready technologies. By fostering collaboration among scientists, engineers, and industry partners in shared lab spaces, EMAPS will drive innovation in energy storage, advanced manufacturing, buildings and power electronics, technologies for grid modernization, advanced polymers, fuels and chemicals, and industrial efficiency.

Leveraging a $224 million budget, the facility aims to achieve a LEED^® Gold certification with a high-performance design, in addition to advanced energy efficiency approaches such as heat recovery and gray water reuse.

Following this topping out, crews will shift focus to the building envelope and interior work. Precast panels are being rapidly installed around the exterior, followed closely by framing, curtainwall, and window systems. Inside, framing is progressing upward from the first floor as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades complete rough-ins. Finish trades are actively procuring materials in preparation for installation once walls are enclosed.

The EMAPS facility broke ground in September 2024 and is on track for completion in 2027.

The post JE Dunn Construction, SmithGroup & NREL Celebrate EMAPS Topping Out first appeared on JE Dunn Construction.

This award is the most prestigious recognition by SMPS Colorado, honoring an individual who demonstrates a high level of professionalism in the marketing of services for the built environment. This individual must have achieved prominence in the industry and the community; managed and lead the internal and external marketing efforts of their firm; demonstrated integrity and character of the highest order; advanced and improved standards of marketing professional services; and performed successfully in a highly visible, results-oriented role.

Click here to read more and view the full list of winners.

The post Michelle Ott Honored with Leonardo Award first appeared on JE Dunn Construction.