Home to the Wisconsin School of Business, Grainger Hall has been a destination for innovation and student connection for over 30 years. In 2024, WSB launched Badger Blueprint, a bold remodeling initiative to transform 31,000 square feet of space into accessible, tech-forward classrooms, collaborative learning areas, and vibrant community hubs. Phases one and two, nearing completion, reimagined classrooms, key study areas, and staff workspaces.
Phase three begins in fall 2025 with new spaces for learning and gathering, including the Manusukhani Atrium (the M), an enclosed 8,000-square-foot winter garden; the full-service High Kicks Café featuring Starbucks; and The Stephen L. Hawk Memorial Terrace, a rooftop gathering space. This project is made possible by generous donors. With Badger Blueprint, the Wisconsin School of Business sets a new standard for student-driven design.
The first phase of renovations, which began in 2024 and focused on improving student spaces with elevated lecture halls, study spaces, and a refreshed admissions office, was completed in the spring of 2025.
The second phase of renovations focuses on improving the employee working experience with a new open workspace and meeting rooms. This new collaborative workspace opened in the spring of 2025.
The third phase of renovations focuses on the first floor and enhances WSB's role in the campus community with new dining options and gathering spaces. The elevated first floor is set to finish in the spring of 2027.
Albert O. Nicholas Dean
“The Badger Blueprint represents a unique partnership between WSB, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and generous donors, all united by a bold vision for the future of business education. These spaces will serve as a proving ground for transformational student experiences—where Business Badgers and corporate partners can come together to solve real-world challenges and lead change across industries and communities.”
See All Construction Progress Photos
The High Kicks Café, featuring Starbucks, will be located adjacent to the Learning Commons. This space will serve as a gathering place and between-class destination for the larger campus community.
This two-story expansion involves extending the building into the courtyard to increase gathering and lounge spaces. This space encourages collaboration and community while increasing the amount of natural daylight. The M provides circulation to and from a new retail food offering (The Halal Shack), a grab-and-go convenience store, and serves as a venue for special events.
With direct access to the Mansukhani Family Atrium and welcoming lounges, the Fairway Home Mortgage Executive Room is a reimagined, tech-enabled space with ample flexible seating and new options for hosting meetings and special events.
The Stephen L. Hawk Memorial Terrace is a new place for the campus community to meet over a beverage, soak up some sun, and study in an outdoor setting. The terrace will be located above the M, the current courtyard.
This new student leadership space will feature new staff offices, huddle rooms, a co-working space that flows into the Mansukhani Atrium (the M), and storage. Staff who serve over 60 student organizations will be relocated to this space.
The Deeter Corner encompasses two huddle rooms adjacent to a co-working space outside of the Leadership & Engagement Center.
An elevated space adjacent to the Mansukhani Atrium (the M) for students, staff, and the larger campus community to meet or hang out during breaks in the day.
An additional lounge space for students, staff, and the larger campus community to meet or hang out during breaks in the day.
The tiered floor configuration of the current plenary offers little flexibility in how the room can be set up for banquets, conferences, or lectures. The new Gerald D. & Helen M. Stephens Foundation Auditorium fills in the tier that borders the stage to create a flat-floor, flexible space. The back tiers will remain raised to create more volume.
Although these are the anticipated impacts on students and employees, they may change as the construction project progresses. Stay tuned to this page for updates.
All entrances to the east wing on the first floor will be closed near the end of November 2025. Physical signage will be placed at each impacted exit with more detail. All foot traffic is expected to enter through the University Ave., Brooks St., and/or Johnson St. entrances on the west side of our building.
The parking garage will remain open, allowing occupants to use elevators 1-4 to navigate the building. Those parking in Lot 7 (Grainger Hall Parking Garage) will need to turn onto Brooks Street from University Avenue, as the south side of Brooks Street will be closed for construction staging. For more information on transportation around Grainger, visit UW-Madison's Transportation Services page.
The third phase of renovations will result in the closing of high-traffic rooms and spaces for the entirety of the 2025-26 academic year. These closed spaces include the south courtyard, the east atrium, classroom 1295, the plenary (room 1210), executive dining (room 1266), the capital cafe, and the dining commons. In addition, the water wall will be removed, and extensive barriers will be put in place. Administrative functions of the Accenture Leadership Center are temporarily operating out of 3295
Barriers will be put in place to keep the construction zone secure, keep occupants safe, to contain dust and debris, and to mitigate noise. These barriers will take the first-floor central bathrooms, as well as individual bathrooms, offline. Occupants on all floors will see some degree of barriers on their floors.
The parking garage located at Grainger, Lot 7, may see a reduction in visitor parking. Roughly 80 spaces will be impacted to allow construction teams to reinforce the ground floor. Additional parking spaces may need to be closed. Students and visitors needing parking can use this interactive map to identify alternative locations.
The bus stop on Brooks St. will relocate starting Monday, October 20. Please see the Metro Transit Detours page for more information.
The construction crews will do their best to contain dust and debris. Major demolition, including removing the water wall, is set to begin in the fall of 2025. There will be noise during regular working hours and some heavy activity at times. Classroom 1295 will be closed, and rooms that border the construction zone may consider moving during the 2025-26 academic year. Other rooms in the building will be indirectly impacted by noise.
When the Badger Blueprint is complete, Grainger Hall will be home to a full-service coffeehouse, High Kicks Café, featuring Starbucks. Until then, nearby options include:
Vending machines are available on the second floor of Grainger Hall, in the landing near Room 2210R. When the Badger Blueprint is complete, Grainger Hall will be home to a convenience market with snacks and drinks, as well as a fast-casual restaurant, The Halal Shack, which serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. In the interim, nearby, on-campus options include:
With reduced visitor spaces in Lot 7, those driving to Grainger Hall may also park on a pay-as-you-go, first-come, first-served basis at these nearby campus ramps and garages:
Lot 46
Fluno Center Garage
Check the visitor parking availability tracker for up-to-the-minute vacant visitor stall counts.
Major demolition is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025 and last into the spring of 2027. Please see the above timeline for more details.
The dining commons, as well as the plenary and executive dining, will not be available during the construction. Those planning meetings in the plenary are encouraged to find another meeting space in Grainger Hall or elsewhere on campus.
The vending machines have moved to the second floor outside the MBA and Master's Program Office.
Standard construction noise will occur throughout the business day (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). An effort will be made to schedule any heavy, noisy activity outside of this timeframe. Facilities will attempt to notify of any other significant noise disruptions that will occur during the business day.
There will be indoor and outdoor barriers to block off construction areas and mitigate noise and mess. Some level of dust and debris is expected in our open areas. We appreciate your patience.
Aside from classroom 1295, all classrooms will be available for instruction. However, noise and vibrations will impact every classroom, especially ones that border the construction zone. Those in the building should expect some level of disruption during normal business hours and occasionally in the evening.
All foot traffic needs to enter through the University Ave., Brooks St., and/or Johnson St. entrances on the west side of our building. See this map for more information.
The parking garage will remain open allowing occupants to navigate the building using elevators 1-4. Those parking in Lot 7 (Grainger Hall Parking garage) will need to turn on Brooks St. from University Ave. as the south side of Brooks St. will be closed off for construction staging.
Please see the Transportation Services map for additional information.
The first-floor remodel is a collaborative effort between multiple campus entities, including the Wisconsin School of Business, the Office of Finance & Administration, Facilities Planning & Management, and Housing Catering & Dining.
This page is supported by WSB Commons--a digital destination for communication and collaboration for Wisconsin School of Business Employees.
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