As plans for the Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center building and landscapes take shape, here’s a look at some milestones and what’s coming next in design and construction.
September 2026
- Project planners at UW Facilities submitted information for required building permits and readied for site preparation and sub-surface work at the construction site.
- Architects, exhibit designers and UW team members continued to collaborate on plans for immersive exhibits that will tell the University’s story within the Welcome Center’s interior.
October 2026
- Activity at the future construction site will begin as arborists assess the health of the significant sycamore trees on site for careful and selective root pruning in the new year.
November 2026
- Campus planners will continue to work closely with Welcome Center project leaders and partners at the adjacent Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture to communicate details about safety, transportation and visitor access in the shared area during construction.
December 2026-January 2027
- The Burke Museum will remain open to visitors throughout construction.
- Contractors are expected to begin installing temporary fencing around the perimeter of the construction site. Fences will border the shared service lot, Stevens Way, NE 45th Street and Memorial Way NE.
- UW-branded signage around the fenced area will help build excitement about the future Welcome Center.
- Signage and information on the Welcome Center website will offer curious visitors a chance to learn more or get involved in supporting the project.