FAMU has begun demolishing the 60-year-old Benjamin Banneker Complex located on the north side of the campus. Constructed in 1966, the four-building complex most recently housed the the Department of Computer Science; Engineering Technology, social work and other science labs. The first phase of demolition targets two of the four buildings, at a cost of $1.8 million, which is expected to be completed in May
According to university planning documents, the demolition is necessary to “make way for new, modern facilities,” yet no formal project—or funding—has been approved to replace the more than 80,000 square feet of lost academic and laboratory space.
The report stated that comprehensive renovation was “no longer a cost-effective or sustainable solution,” citing the presence of asbestos and other hazardous materials, non-compliant fire protections, and structural systems that have “exceeded their useful life.”
The demolition is part of FAMU’s 2020–2030 Campus Master Plan and its Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, reflecting a broader effort to modernize campus infrastructure. But the gap between demolition and reconstruction highlights the practical and financial challenges facing many public universities as they balance urgent facilities needs with ambitious long-term vision.
“Replacing these aging structures with purpose-built, energy-efficient and code-compliant buildings will align with FAMU’s long-term strategic goals,” the university’s report noted, “and provide a safer, more functional environment.”
For now, the site will become a blank slate—a cleared plot on the north campus, waiting for the next chapter in FAMU’s growth.