Clarkson University plans $60M worth of renovations

POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) - $60 million worth of upgrades are coming to Clarkson University; $48 million of it will be spent at the Center for Advanced Materials Processing building, known as CAMP."

It’s probably the largest engineering investment ever made in our engineering and science programs at Clarkson," said Erik Backus, director of Clarkson’s Construction Engineering Management Program.

Upgrades include the renovation of 60,000 square feet inside the CAMP building, as well as adding 40,000 square feet to it, which will include new space for student engineering clubs.

“They’re already competing at national levels and international levels. Let’s take that even further,” said Backus.

The college just learned it’ll receive a $5 million state grant to help complete phase one of the project, which will help meet fundraising goals needed for the project.

“We have a donor who’s giving us $24 million. One of the challenges we have to do is meet that dollar-for-dollar to complete the full 48, so the $5 million from the state is an integral part of that additional fundraising we need to make happen to make the full project vision come forward,” said Backus.

Backus says they will build the new addition first, then work on renovating the existing space, which will run through 2028.

Campus leaders hope to break ground on the project in the summer of 2026.