by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Construction will begin on the $25.2 million Windgate Art and Innovation Center at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro following approval by the ASU System Board of Trustees on Thursday (March 14) at its regular quarterly meeting on the ASU-Newport campus.

The new, 38,887-square-foot Windgate Center will house spaces to support learning and creative activities for the Department of Art + Design, as well as the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Funding includes $22 million in private support from the Windgate Foundation and $3.2 million in institutional reserves. Construction is projected to be finished sometime in 2027.

System Interim President Robin Myers thanked U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., for helping to secure a $10 million federal appropriation to advance development of the A-State Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing. A-State will use the funding to invest in high-tech equipment for a multimillion-dollar facility that will support Northeast Arkansas’ position as the largest steel producing region in the country.

Construction on $25.2 million A-State Windgate Art Innovation Center set to begin