Renovation of an educational facility in Baltimore, Maryland. Completed plans call for the renovation of a 105,000-square-foot educational facility.

Maryland’s 664th legislative session of the General Assembly took place from Jan. 10 through April 8, 2024. During this session, several capital projects at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) received additional funding in support of the University’s mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good of Maryland and society at-large. Capital projects can include new construction, major renovations, infrastructure improvements, and facilities maintenance over $100,000 that demonstrate a need for a specific type of space or compelling deferred maintenance. Most of UMB’s capital projects are funded through the state’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) using a combination of bonds, state general funding, and UMB funding. Three of the projects that received additional funding are highlighted below. Central Electric Substation The equipment in UMB’s current master electrical substation is about 60 years old and approaching the limits of its capacity. Recognizing UMB’s growth, this upgrade of the University’s electrical distribution system will provide reliability and help UMB meet today’s demands while building in additional capacity for the future. Particularly with expected future building electrification to help UMB meet its carbon neutrality goal, this increased electrical capacity will help UMB in its transition away from fossil fuel-run building systems toward an electrified vehicle fleet. This project includes construction of the North Station at the UMB Recycling Center, duct bank construction and feeder connections across campus, and the construction of the South Station behind the Health Sciences and Human Services Library. New School of Social Work Building The new six-story School of Social Work building composed of offices, classrooms, and communal gathering spaces will bring the School of Social Work, currently housed in six locations, under one roof. The new building will replace the current facilities, which contain failing mechanical and plumbing systems, while addressing an existing space deficit that currently requires UMB to lease space off campus. The building will be located at the intersection of North Greene and West Lexington streets, an ideal location on UMB’s campus to enhance the School of Social Work’s mission of innovation in community service. Dental Ambulatory Surgery Center The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is constructing a new dental ambulatory surgery center in downtown Baltimore to alleviate the long wait times for patients who need medical care. This project will help to address a shortage of dental ambulatory surgery space, which often results in emergency dental care occurring in hospital operating rooms that are not adequately equipped to treat dental patients. The new center is expected to reduce wait times for children and adults as well as mitigate oral health disparities and inequities that persist among children and adults requiring the administration of sedation or anesthesia for dental care. The University of Maryland, Baltimore is building a dental surgery center in downtown Baltimore to alleviate the long wait times for patients who need medical care. The University System of Maryland Board of Regents finance committee on Wednesday approved UMB's plan for a $29.5 million renovation to the School of Dentistry building at 650 W. Baltimore St., to build an ambulatory surgery center and replace aging equipment throughout the 105,000-square-foot building. The project will receive $700,000 from the state with the rest of the money coming from the School of Dentistry. The General Assembly will also consider a $2 million bond in 2024 to further help UMB. The university is looking for philanthropic donations from foundations and individual donors to accompany the state funding, said Dr. Robert Ord, professor emeritus at the school. The renovations will convert an existing 3,500-square-foot office space on Baltimore Street to a surgery center with operating rooms, pre-op rooms, recovery rooms and support spaces, according to documents presented to the board. A patient drop-off/pick-up area will also be built along Fayette Street. The rest of the renovations will replace equipment like dental chairs in the 17-year-old building. The university is still soliciting bids for a construction company, a consultant with knowledge of regulations around Medicare and a design architect, Ord said. The university hopes to start construction by the end of the year and complete the project by 2026. Ord hopes a new surgery center can help remedy the nearly year-long wait times many dental patients face before they can get surgery. Patients have fewer options for surgeries compared to 10 years ago since hospitals across the country have shut down dental care in favor of more lucrative and necessary surgeries, according to a 2021 paper by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The pandemic exacerbated the problem by causing staff shortages and reducing hospital profits, Ord said. Insurance often doesn't cover a lot of dental procedures, leading to high out-of-pocket costs for families who are able to find treatment. "There's a lot of patients who just can't tolerate dental treatment under local anesthesia [and need an operating room]," Ord said. "And there's nowhere to take them." The center will focus on patients with special needs, older patients and children, Ord said. The surgery center can treat patients with tooth decay, extreme gum infections and difficult wisdom teeth, and insert dental implants under full anesthesia, among other medical conditions. Ord plans to eventually start a dental emergency room at UMB to take patients from local hospital emergency rooms and give them the specialized treatment necessary. Many hospitals do not have a dentist on staff and aren't equipped to deal with dental patients. As of October 14, 2025, this Project is under construction. *Project information, including timeline and contacts, has been obtained through public sources. The content management team continues to pursue additional details; however, the contact(s) listed have yet to disclose or confirm any information. Inquiries should be directed to the contact(s) listed.