Kentucky, USA
June 14, 2024
Slated for completion in November 2026, the new $285 million building will foster collaborative and transformational agricultural research initiatives
The new Agricultural Research Building will serve as the central research hub at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, aligning closely with its teaching and extension missions. Pictured (L-R), Suzanne Miles, Nancy Cox, Eli Capilouto, Rocky Adkins, Rebecca McCulley and Amanda Mays Bledsoe. Picture by Matt Barton.
The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), joined by members of the Kentucky General Assembly, UK Board of Trustees and university administration, celebrates the groundbreaking of the $285 million Agricultural Research Building.
Set to be completed in November 2026, the 263,000-square-foot building will be the college’s central research hub, aligned with its teaching and extension missions, which serve the entire Commonwealth.
Located on the south side of UK’s main campus, the building will create a dynamic agricultural community. Picture rendering provided by BHDP Architecture and Flad Architecture.
The project represents a significant investment in the college’s research enterprise, and a partnership between the state and its flagship land-grant university. A significant outcome from the 2024 legislative session, the project is funded with $200 million in state bonds and restricted funds from the university.
“This groundbreaking marks a transformative step in supporting the discovery that will help protect and grow the Commonwealth’s multi-billion-dollar agriculture industry, present in communities throughout Kentucky’s 120 counties,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “We are deeply grateful to the Kentucky General Assembly for investing in the work we do to benefit Kentucky agriculture and ensuring a safe, resilient and abundant food supply.”
Designed by BHDP Architecture and FLAD Architects, the building will house state-of-the-art wet and dry research and teaching laboratories, and a complex of greenhouses on its roof to facilitate research in animal science, entomology, horticulture, plant sciences, plant pathology and soil science.
“This college carries a great responsibility,” said Nancy Cox, vice president of Land-grant Engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “With new high-tech research labs, we are able to conduct relevant research and educate graduate students who are the future scientific workforce that will serve Kentucky and beyond.”
The building will also host a dynamic 250-seat auditorium, accommodating larger classes such as Introduction to the Horse and the Horse Industry, Domestic Animal Biology, and Bees and People. This scalable space will be used for educational lectures, community outreach and large events.
The building will house the following academic departments:
The Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist and Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory will also be housed in the building, providing key services to Kentucky’s diverse communities.
“The impact of these new facilities on our research is multi-fold,” said James Matthews, associate dean for research in Martin-Gatton CAFE. “They enable our current faculty to continue excelling in their research endeavors, aid in the recruitment of top-tier research leaders for the future and accelerate our capacity to share the results of this work with the people we serve across the state.”
The new building will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, enabling researchers in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences to perform a wide range of analyses, from nutrient assessments of feeds and foods to gene and protein expression studies. Additionally, advanced teaching laboratories will offer students enhanced hands-on learning opportunities, significantly enriching their experiential learning experiences
Inside and outside of the Agricultural Research Building, new laboratories and greenhouses will provide additional teaching space for learning. Picture rendering provided by BHDP Architecture and Flad Architecture.
“Having new facilities will greatly enhance our equine, companion and food animal research programs that strive to optimize animal production, health and management, reduce environmental impacts, and enhance the quality of food products and their safety,” said Scott Radcliffe, chair of the Department of Animal and Food Sciences.
Additionally, a separate teaching greenhouse will provide interior and exterior teaching spaces. This greenhouse will accommodate courses like Introduction to Floral Design, Introduction to Plant Identification and Plant Propagation. The UK Horticulture Club will also use this greenhouse for community engagement through plant sales.
The building will be located on the south side of UK’s main campus, near the planned Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building, the Barnhart Building and the Plant Science Building, creating a dynamic agricultural campus.
The college recently held a groundbreaking for the Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences building, which will become the primary teaching facility, center for student success and home to new programs made possible by the generosity of The Bill Gatton Foundation. Together, these two facilities are part of the more than $500 million transformation of the college’s infrastructure.
Learn more about these projects at future.ca.uky.edu.
The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
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