University leaders, students and alumni signed a ceremonial steel beam for Harris-Stowe State University's new College of STEM building. The 82,000-square-foot facility rising on the school's Midtown campus carries a $66 million price tag, and it's the largest capital project in the university's 169-year history.
A Milestone With a View of the Arch
The building sits on Harris-Stowe's main campus with a clear line of sight to the Gateway Arch, according to FOX 2, which reported that university officials hosted media tours of the project this week. The outlet reported the beam-signing as a major construction milestone for a project designed to expand educational opportunities for students pursuing STEM careers while helping meet workforce demands across the St. Louis region. Once finished, the four-story structure will provide facilities for STEM education and research, according to KSDK.
Harris-Stowe President LaTonia Collins Smith said the university is excited to contribute to St. Louis' economic growth, economic mobility and its role as a STEM hub, per the station's report. She added that Harris-Stowe hopes to improve the community by investing in STEM. Freddie E. Wills Jr., the university's vice president for STEM initiatives and research partnerships, said the project expands the school's academic enterprise in STEM, the same account notes.
From Groundbreaking to Topping Off
The timeline has moved fast. Harris-Stowe broke ground on the facility in January 2026, and the topping-off beam signing came just months later in June, ahead of a targeted 2027 completion, according to the St. Louis American. The new building will provide a dedicated home for STEM programs, support future enrollment growth and strengthen partnerships with industries across the region, per FOX 2's reporting. Programs tied to agriculture and plant science, along with geospatial technology, are among those expected to benefit, and the facility is slated to become a centerpiece of the Harris-Stowe campus.
Harris-Stowe created its College of STEM in response to growing student interest in STEM-related fields, the station reported. The new facility will provide a dedicated home for STEM programs. The university's 2023–2028 Strategic Plan identifies Collins Smith as president and anticipates the inauguration of the university's first African American woman president.
Funding Built From Public and Private Sources
The $66 million project draws on $31 million in Missouri state appropriations and $10 million in federal funding, alongside a $25 million private philanthropic fundraising goal, according to official campaign materials from the HSSU STEM Building Campaign. The campaign includes a private philanthropic fundraising effort.
Founded in 1857, Harris-Stowe is St. Louis' only Historically Black University and one of the oldest institutions of higher education west of the Mississippi River, per the campaign materials. Harris-Stowe offers STEM programs.
The building is expected to be completed in 2027.
