Creighton University will soon break ground on one of the most sweeping projects in its 147-year history.
Starting in July, the university will begin work on a campus quadrangle, 251,500 sq. ft. of active green space near 22nd & Burt Street, to be completed in fall 2026. The 5.7-acre, natural-grass area will include an amphitheater, pavilion, stage, fountain plaza, and an ellipse with an art installation.
The quadrangle’s construction, estimated to cost $22-to-25 million, will be entirely donor-supported. Designed by OJB Landscape Architecture and constructed by Kiewit Corporation, it will mark the largest physical reshaping of the campus in history.
“The quadrangle will be Creighton’s own Central Park, a reimagining of campus green space that will live at the intersection of academic and residential life,” said University President Daniel S. Hendrickson.
The quadrangle will be surrounded by four residence halls (Graves, McGloin, Davis and a future residence hall to be completed in fall 2026) and three academic facilities (the School of Dentistry Building, the Ahmanson Law Center and the Harper Center, home of the Heider College of Business). It will be the center of campus activity, hosting signature campus events, including graduation, freshman orientation, alumni reunion weekends and community use.
The Creighton baseball and softball fields and facilities now at the site of the future quadrangle will be removed after the College World Series in June. New baseball practice and softball competition fields are being built near 17th & Cuming Street.
“This transformation will forever change how our students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests experience campus,” Hendrickson said. “The quadrangle not only gives Creighton a prominent gathering space; it creates a crown jewel at the heart of the city’s urban core, where the University has invested more than $500 million since 2015.”
In recent years, Creighton leadership has surveyed students on how the campus could be improved. One of the most popular responses was the addition of natural green space.
“With every decision we make, we are always aiming to meet the needs of the thousands of students who attend Creighton, and who live and learn on this campus,” said Diane Duren, chair of the Creighton University Board of Trustees. “Campus-redefining projects such as the quadrangle will ensure that future Bluejays know when they choose Creighton, they are choosing an educational experience like no other, on one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.”
The quadrangle is being built during a “historically constructive” time for Creighton. Recent additions include the freshman residence hall Graves Hall; the CL and Rachel Werner Center for Health Sciences Education; the Jérôme Nadal, SJ, Jesuit Residence; and now in development, the aforementioned residence hall and new baseball and softball fields. Other significant improvements include renovations to the St. John’s Fountain and Plaza, the Skutt Student Center, and currently, Creighton Hall.
The continuous construction comes at a time of record enrollment. Over the past 25 years, Creighton has enrolled 22 of the 23 largest freshman classes in its history. Total enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year is 8,580 students, approximately half of whom are undergraduates.
“These students are coming to Creighton from all over the nation,” Hendrickson said. “Approximately 80 percent of our students come from out of state, and 50 percent of all graduates stay in Nebraska.”
“Our donors know that an investment in Creighton is an investment in Omaha and Nebraska,” Hendrickson said. “Whether it be the support of scholarships, the creation of academic programs and endowed chairs, or the construction of transformational projects like the campus quadrangle, our community partners are ensuring a bright future for Creighton and, in turn, for the city and state we call home.”
