Rice Business’ new building project celebrates milestone with beam-signing ceremony

Leaders from Rice Business and the university gathered in the construction area of the business school’s new facility Feb. 28 to celebrate the “topping out” of the building. President Reginald DesRoches, Dean Peter Rodriguez, the advisory board of Rice Business, donors and more signed the beam that will reside in the structure’s highest point to commemorate the moment.

“Today marks a significant milestone, not just for this building but for everyone here today,” Rodriguez said. “This moment is a culmination of a vision of dedication and hard work, from the designers who dreamed up this beautiful space to the construction teams bringing it to life to the faculty, students and leadership who have long envisioned the future of business education here at Rice. This building stands as more than just a structure of steel and concrete and brick. It’s a symbol of possibility within these walls. Many future business leaders will take on challenges, big ones like the energy transition, the ethical use of artificial intelligence, the complexities of industries like health care and finance and many more.”

Architecture Research Office leads the building’s design, while Houston-based Kirksey Architecture serves as the project’s executive architect. Skanska and its joint venture partner, B. Bell Builders, are the general contractors. Steve Durham, partner and managing director at Kirksey, explained that the new building is a complicated project — the structure sits on top of the underground central campus garage and is poised to “bear hug” the existing McNair Hall and create more space to accommodate growing programs and Houston connections.

Rodriguez, DesRoches and more gathered to sign the beam and watch it lifted and placed on top of the structure. This milestone is a cherished tradition in the construction industry, marking a key step toward completing a project, said Mark Elpers of Skanska.

“As a civil engineer, I always get excited coming back to the construction site and seeing all the great work that’s being done,” DesRoches said.

“Rice Business and Rice University as a whole are growing before our eyes. The growth of Rice Business reflects a much larger story unfolding across our campus. Over the past five years, we’ve launched new programs, expanded research initiatives and welcomed record numbers of students and faculty across disciplines. Here at Rice Business, we’ve seen a rapid rise in the undergraduate business major, a 75% increase in MBA students since 2016 and a 41% growth in faculty — clear signs of rising demand and the school’s growing reputation.”

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Rice Business broke ground on the new building in May and expects to welcome students to the new facility in spring 2026. The 112,000-square-foot facility has been designed to accommodate unprecedented growth and the evolving needs of the business community. It reflects the school’s progress over five decades and its promise to the university, the city and the world that Rice is empowering the next generation of leaders to make a global impact and producing graduates who are vital to organizations and ready to lead.

“More than anything, this building will house our commitment to develop ethical leaders, innovative thinkers and problem-solvers, and the world needs all of them,” Rodriguez said. “It will provide the tools and spaces to empower our students to succeed, and it will long stand as a testament to the growth and the ambition of Rice Business. As we place this final beam, we’re reminded that in just a few years, it will be hidden beneath walls and pipes and wires, yet we know it will be there — a quiet but enduring part of the foundation that supports the future we’re building together.”

The new building will broaden Rice Business’ capacity for world-class innovation and leadership development. As a hub for collaborative and interdisciplinary thinking, the building will centralize resources for the top-ranked entrepreneurship program, offer versatile spaces for entrepreneurship competitions, events and accelerators and introduce innovative event venues for faculty, students and the wider Rice community. It will house classes, faculty and students from the Jones Graduate School of Business and accommodate growth associated with the newly named Virani Undergraduate School of Business.

Launched in 2021, Rice’s new undergraduate business major provides a complete foundation spanning leadership and core business disciplines like accounting, finance, marketing, organizational behavior, strategy and communications. The program addresses strong demand from current and prospective Rice students. After its inaugural year, enrollments surged 79% — making business the second-most popular major for first-year students after computer science.

Learn more about the new facility here, and watch a “fly-through” video of the building here.