Priorities for Building Connections 

Building Connections is a key part of Forward with Purpose: Temple University’s Strategic Plan, as it helps envision the physical environment that will support the plan. The Strategic Plan has been organized around the three priorities of Student Success, Research in Action and Place-based Impact. 

Student Success

 The overarching theme within Forward with Purpose: Temple University’s Strategic Plan is that Student Success is at the center of everything the university does. In plotting its path forward, that theme will inform Temple’s decision making, as the university’s goal is for students to enjoy a multifaceted learning experience that includes opportunities to take advantage of Temple’s urban location and partner with local organizations and community groups in support of their educational goals

This commitment to Student Success has also been directly built into Building Connections, which provides a roadmap for how Temple can pursue high-priority academic and student success projects.

Enhancing the On-Campus Residential Experience

A key driver of Student Success can be the on-campus residential experience, which also helps create a greater sense of place. Building Connections calls for the creation of a new state-of-the-art residential living complex that will anchor the northern end of Liacouras Walk along Broad Street on the former Peabody Hall site, directly south of Johnson and Hardwick Halls. To ensure that this is space is serving all members of the Temple and North Philadelphia communities, the mixed-use building will feature student housing, retail, academic learning spaces and recreational facilities. Once this residence hall is created, the plan also calls for renovations to Johnson and Hardwick Halls.

Research in Action

One of the key priorities identified within Forward with Purpose: Temple University’s Strategic Plan is Research in Action, which is emphasized throughout Building Connections. The plan provides a roadmap for strengthening the university’s research facilities through strategic reinvestment and targeted new development.

Removal of Beury Building/Reimagining of Biology Life Sciences Building

Specifically, it calls for the removal of the Beury Building and reimagining of the Biology Life Sciences Building through selective demolition and renovation. The renewed facility will support a mix of STEM-related academic uses, including classrooms, laboratory spaces and administrative offices while incorporating a new pavilion expansion that will serve as Temple’s Welcome Center and a vibrant hub for student life and engagement.

STEM Research Facility

Building Connections also calls for the creation of a new STEM research facility will be developed to accommodate modern wet laboratory space to support multidisciplinary research and instruction. Together, these investments will expand capacity, modernize infrastructure and strengthen connections across STEM disciplines.

Place-Based Impact 

Building Connections is grounded in a place-based approach that recognizes the university’s success is intertwined with the vitality of Philadelphia. As an anchor institution, Temple’s investments strengthen connections between campus and city, support arts and innovation, and foster partnerships that benefit surrounding communities. 

As the plan takes shape, it will also build greater synergy between Temple’s Philadelphia campuses, leading to the creation of a multidimensional innovation corridor that stretches along Broad Street, traveling from Temple’s Health Sciences Center to Main Campus, and then south to the Avenue of the Arts where Terra Hall (Temple’s Center City campus) resides. 

Creating Additional Green Spaces

A key initiative of Building Connections is creating more green spaces for gathering, recreation and events will be a priority. The plan calls for the creation of a quad in the heart of campus, which is uncommon among urban institutions. The quad will feature a large green lawn with smaller, connected courtyards and open spaces to serve as a multiuse and functional area to promote socializing, recreation, outdoor learning and events. The quad also supports Temple’s continued commitment to sustainability by creating opportunities for species biodiversity, heat island relief, sustainable energy technologies, groundwater infiltration and stormwater management.