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Skanska USA Building has moved from retirement to renovation.
The US arm of the Sweden-based builder and developer announced on January 27 that it had completed the demolition and transition to reconstruction phase of the flagship library at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
The firm won the $104 million contract to refurbish the Milton S. Eisenhower Library in 2024, beginning construction in July of that year. Work at the library, designed by New York City-based Perkins Eastman, will include new finishes and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and building improvements such as window and roof restoration.
First built in 1964, the 183,746-square-foot library has four levels below grade. When construction is complete, the library will have a two-story reading room, an arm staircase and a glass roof to bring light into the building’s interior, according to the release.
The project will also create expanded study and exhibition spaces, as well as specialist learning laboratories. It will be the first project to follow the Johns Hopkins Healthy and High Performance Building Guidelines, achieving LEED Gold certification and positioning the building for zero preparation, Skanska said.
Contractors marked the new phase with a “Slab on Grade” celebration, representing the placement of the first major structural element of the reconstruction phase and the start of vertical construction.
“We are proud of the hard work and dedication of our project team and business partners on this complex project, and the work to date is a true reflection of their effort to deliver the highest quality renovation,” Mark Balling, executive vice president of the Mid-Atlantic region for Skanska USA Building, said in the statement.
Work is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.
