The University of Memphis did not settle for a quiet ribbon-cutting on Wednesday. Instead, the school launched its $90 million overhaul of the Fogelman College of Business and Economics with a full-on "sledgehammer party," sending university leaders, donors, and the college’s dean up to the façade to take a few symbolic swings and officially mark the start of construction on the multi-phase project.
As reported by the Daily Memphian, President Bill Hardgrave and Dean Bobby Garrett turned the kickoff into a public celebration of the redevelopment. Photos from the event show the two fist-bumping, then joining others with sledgehammers in hand as they tapped into the existing exterior to signal what is about to change.
What The $90 Million Covers
According to the University of Memphis, the $90 million investment will transform the corner of Central Avenue and Patterson Street into the Avron and Robert Fogelman Business Complex by fully renovating two existing buildings and tying them together with a new connector. The project outline highlights case-study classrooms, innovation and trading labs, an executive conference center, event space, and an international café as part of the reimagined footprint.
The university’s facilities team notes that moving logistics are already in motion and that the overall project is slated to wrap up toward the end of 2026, according to University facilities.
Funding And Who’s Backing It
Longtime supporter Avron Fogelman has put $10 million on the table for the modernization, a pledge the Daily Memphian reported earlier in 2024. University officials say they will keep chasing private gifts to help pay for the new addition as work progresses.
Early design renderings and coverage in the Memphis Business Journal show a glass-fronted complex and quote Dean Bobby Garrett on how the upgraded space is meant to tighten the pipeline between students and employers, positioning the business school as a more visible hub for corporate engagement.
Campus Impact And What To Watch
For students and faculty, the glow-up will come with some short-term headaches. Expect phased closures, shuffled classroom locations, and a steady presence of construction crews along Central Avenue as interiors are gutted, rebuilt, and brought up to modern standards.
Key things to watch over the next couple of years will include fundraising milestones, the timing and order of each construction phase, and how the college manages access to classrooms while work is underway. Once finished, the complex is intended to expand hands-on learning opportunities and deepen corporate and civic partnerships across Tiger Nation, turning a busy campus corner into a showpiece for business education in Memphis.
