New Penn State building will remain closed next semester after ‘structural issue’

One of Penn State’s newest buildings will remain closed next semester because of a “localized structural issue.”

The university’s $128 million Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building is scheduled to remain out of service for the entire spring 2026 semester. Though the building has been determined safe for limited reentry, it remains offline while repair work continues, university officials said.

Classes that were previously intended inside the Welch Building have been moved elsewhere across campus, a Penn State spokesperson said Friday. The university is also developing plans for alternative locations that could house other activities scheduled inside the building.

It’s unclear how many people or offices are displaced due to the closure.

Alpha Fire Company responded to the Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building on Nov. 12 to investigate a “sound of an explosion,” according to dispatch reports. Tony Berrena, Alpha Fire Company’s fire chief, told the Centre Daily Times crews found a crack in one of the building’s walls that stretched from the second floor to the fifth floor and noted the floor had dropped by about 2 inches.

Though the building was evacuated, no injuries were reported. The university does not suspect foul play.

The university has not provided additional details about the nature of the repair work or the structural issue.

Turner Construction, the general contractor for the building, said it is working with Penn State to support the university’s assessment and response efforts. About Penn State’s Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building

The $128 million building located along Fischer Road opened just this spring. It houses several academic units, labs, centers, institutes and other learning spaces spread across 143,000 square foot and six stories.

Its tenants include departments of anthropology, political science, sociology, criminology and public policy, as well as the McCourtney Institute for Democracy and the Matson Museum of Anthropology. The museum said its staff and collections were not impacted by the structural issue.

Penn State trustees approved the liberal arts building project in 2022. Funding for the estimated $127.7 million cost largely came from state funds, borrowing and capital reserves.