Emporia State’s new nursing building is now slated for completion in 2026 due to construction delays. The building, which will house the nursing program and Student Wellness Center, was initially supposed to open for the Fall 2025 semester. As of now, there is no exact date of opening.

The nursing building will bring the nursing program on campus from its current off-campus location Cora Miller Hall near Newman Regional Health.

ESU Director of Media Relations and Internal Communications Gwen Larson cites two reasons for the pushback. The first was that before construction of the building began, contractors discovered that the dirt already on the site was unsuitable for the three-story structure. 

“Even if you were building a house,” said Larson, “you don’t want to build a house on dirt that might let your house settle.”

The contractors had to haul in new “structurally engineered” dirt that could adequately support the 32,000-square-foot building.

The second reason for the delay was the snow and ice storm in early January, which halted construction. Larson calls this a “lost week,” as the entire campus was closed and crews were unable to work. 

Larson said that 90 percent of the framework was complete before the weather delay. Currently, the second-floor decking is close to or completely finished. Larson expects the contractors to make up for some lost time as they move inside the building, where weather will be less likely to affect the work process. 

As initially planned, the portion of the building dedicated to the nursing program will open before the Student Wellness Center. The new Student Wellness Center will open at a later date. After the Student Wellness Center relocates from Southeast Morse Hall, the former residence hall will be demolished. Currently, there are no plans for Southeast Morse Hall’s space.