Rowan University unveiled plans earlier this spring for a $690 million West Campus Development Project in Gloucester County that school officials feel will dramatically reshape the region while transforming higher education and workforce development.
The multiphase initiative will pair an intergenerational wellness community with a center for manufacturing innovation on the school’s West Campus at the intersection of Routes 55 and 322 in Harrison Township and Glassboro.
Rowan officials say the project is expected to generate more than 5,000 jobs and roughly $14.3 million in annual tax revenues and, if it comes together as planned, give South Jersey a new anchor for health care and advanced manufacturing.
The West Campus project, to be built on about 220 acres of Rowan‑owned land, combines two major components:
The Rowan University Wellness Village: A “living‑learning community” built around health, longevity and intergenerational housing;
The Rowan University Center for Manufacturing Innovation: A 350,000‑square‑foot cluster of facilities that link applied research, workforce training and private‑sector R&D.
“What we are proposing is transformational in scope and impact,” Rowan President Ali Houshmand said. “It is a bold vision for the region, well beyond the 220 acres of our project, something that will spur growth throughout the county and South Jersey.”
While it is by far the biggest in scope, it is not the only big project announced in the state.
Here are some of the others:
WPU: Recreation and Health Sciences Center
The $40 million, state-funded Recreation and Health Sciences Center, currently under construction, will more than double the size of student facilities for recreation and wellness, and creates a new academic hub for students pursuing diverse allied health professions.
With facilities for coursework in athletic training and exercise physiology, the project supports the university’s goal of aligning programs with the state’s workforce needs. Funded through the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority, the facility is scheduled for completion in 2027.
NJIT: Oak Hall
The redevelopment is one of the university’s most significant campus transformation projects, replacing an aging residence hall with a new 15-story building that will more than double capacity to 453 beds in 154 apartment-style units. Scheduled to open in 2027, the $113 million project is central to NJIT’s long-term growth strategy, strengthening its ability to attract and retain students, expand campus life and support continued momentum as a more residential, nationally competitive university.
Seton Hall: Innovation Hub
The new Innovation Hub located within the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center on the ground floor of Walsh Library, opened earlier this year.
It is a campus-wide destination for hands-on discovery, immersive learning and high-quality content creation. Designed to support academic inquiry and creative exploration across all disciplines, the Hub brings together fabrication tools, XR/AI technologies and production studios, alongside open collaboration spaces and technology consultation rooms.
Stockton: Library Learning Commons
Supported by a $19.5 million bond from the state, Stockton University is nearing completion of a full renovation of the Bjork Library, a three-story, 100,000-square-foot space in the center of campus, into a modern library learning commons. The library will reopen for the fall 2026 semester.
The renovation includes more study rooms, open spaces to encourage collaborative learning, and will house support services and educational programs, including the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, Special Collections, Constantelos Hellenic Collection and Alliance Heritage Center.
