The University of Windsor announced on December 14 that it has selected a joint venture of EllisDon Corporation and Fortis Construction Group to lead the construction of its Transforming Windsor Law building project.

The contractors are currently working on the university’s Lancer Centre.

“We look forward to working with them,” said Windsor Law Dean Christopher Waters. “They are mobilizing this month for a January 2021 start to construction.”

The university completed construction on temporary quarters for its law faculty earlier this fall. The building will be used to host staff and students—once it’s judged safe to do so. Construction work on the new law faculty building is expected to last for two years.

The Transforming Windsor Law building project will see a $25-million renovation to the Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law Building. The goal of the project is to meet the future needs of the Faculty of Law, and a university steering committee has developed a series of guiding principles by which designers Diamond Schmitt Architects will be expected to abide. These include:

• increasing usable building space to support dynamic teaching, research, experiential learning and service,
• designing flexible and multi-purpose spaces that are forward-looking and open to change,
• connecting the building to local Indigenous peoples, the physical environment, heritage and communities, and
• promoting environmental sustainability, health and well-being.

Waters announced that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the construction budget higher by about 15 percent. The cost, he said, has been approved by the university’s board of governors, and will be shared between the law school and the university itself.

To date, the university has raised $5.3 million of its $6-million fundraising target.

“The generosity and investments of alumni and friends will see us break through that target before the project is completed roughly two years from now,” said Waters.