Home to Milwaukee’s only law school, Marquette University decided its current facility no longer suited today’s students. Opus Development Company, LLC called upon raSmith to help make this vision a state-of-the-art reality for the higher education institution. The project consisted of the new school building, underground parking and a large surface parking lot.
While engineering the site design, raSmith’s team encountered some unique challenges, such as the design needed to incorporate the property’s other buildings and guard house. While a significant amount of grade change was apparent, considerable existing public infrastructure was unknown. For instance, a steam pipe was unearthed during construction. Instead of letting this discovery derail the project, our engineers devised a quick solution. The university also asked that a certain row of trees remain on the property and, to meet this request, raSmith designed a large retaining wall accommodating the trees.
To make space for the new law school’s large parking lot, O’Hara Hall—a 140-year-old outdated structure—had to be demolished. Two small parking lots were also transformed into the new large lot. Landscape architecture, similar to that of other areas on campus, added a finishing touch to the $85-million Eckstein Hall that is now a pillar of not just Marquette University but also of the civic community.
