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Towson University stresses geothermal and substation upgrades as part of Smith Hall renovation
Summary
Towson University told the Capital Budget Subcommittee their fiscal 2026 capital plan centers on a large Smith Hall renovation that now includes a geothermal system and other sustainability work.
Towson University officials told the Capital Budget Subcommittee their fiscal 2026 capital plan centers on a large Smith Hall renovation that now includes a geothermal system and other sustainability work, and the university asked the committee to support the timing of related infrastructure projects.
Micah Richards, the DLS budget analyst for Towson, said the fiscal 2026 Capital Improvement Program request centers on about $71 million for the Smith Hall renovation, of which about 99 percent is proposed as GO bond funding. Richards said the project’s total cost increased by around $13,000,000 to roughly $166,000,000 primarily because a new geothermal system and higher equipment costs were added; DLS recommends reducing GO bond funding by $9,000,000 for the sustainability ‘‘green building premium’’ and replacing that authorization with PAYGO special funds from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund Energy Efficiency Account.
Towson President Mark Ginsberg told the committee Towson enrolls nearly 20,000 students, about 90 percent from Maryland, and said Smith Hall construction is "under construction, it's in flight … so far being on time and on budget." He called the new geothermal system and an electrical substation expansion "critical upgrades to our campus infrastructure" and said the university appreciated the state's support accelerating the substation schedule.
Richards also said a new student services building will be constructed and the existing Enrollment Services Building will be demolished; funding for that project begins in fiscal 2029. The electrical substation expansion is scheduled to start in fiscal 2027 and will provide power to the western portion of the main campus and South Campus.
DLS noted the estimated operating impact of the fiscal 2026 capital budget increases by six figures in fiscal 2028–2030 due to added gross square footage from construction. The presentation concluded with an invitation for questions; the transcript records no committee vote during the Towson testimony.
