About

This project includes both an addition to and a partial renovation of Kenneth E. Peacock Hall, home to the students, faculty and staff of App State’s Walker College of Business (WCOB). The project is expected to extend the life of the building by 30–50 years.

Built in 1990, the 130,000-square-foot, four-story Peacock Hall is due for a systematic renovation to replace elevators, HVAC/controls and chillers, as well as the tiered, lecture-style classrooms that make up 80% of Peacock Hall’s classrooms. The classrooms’ fixed seating — ideal in the 90’s, when students passively listened to lectures — now hinders daily reconfigurations of classroom furniture that allow students to form smaller, more agile project teams.

Proposed facilities under discussion for the building’s new addition include:

• Classrooms.
• Common areas.
• A learning lab.
• Special use areas for campus events.
• Mechanical infrastructure space.
• Student service offices.

The vision for the learning lab space includes features such as a real-time stock market ticker and Bloomberg terminals that offer financial analysis software — providing students with cutting-edge academic experiences.

A planned bridge between the existing building and the addition will connect the first and second floors. The scope of renovations for Peacock Hall will be determined following the completion of the building’s addition, which will be constructed in phases.

This project will support planning for the greater district goal of opening Boone Creek and replacing surface parking with a new parking structure, along with a redesign of traffic flow for buses.

Walker College is accredited by AACSB International — the premier global accrediting body for schools of business — and offers 11 undergraduate majors and three master’s degree programs, including its nationally and internationally recognized Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Peacock Hall also houses several units that support students campuswide and in which faculty and staff engage in multidisciplinary research that benefits both campus and the local community. These include the Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis and Brantley Risk and Insurance Center.

The building is named in honor of App State’s seventh leader, Kenneth E. Peacock, who was a professor in the college before serving as chancellor of the university from 2004–14.

An artist’s rendering of the addition that is under construction at App State’s Peacock Hall, home to the nationally recognized Walker College of Business. Note, this image does not reflect the project’s final design, which is still in development. Graphic courtesy of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

This artist’s rendering shows a view of the Peacock Hall addition from Rivers Street. Note, this image does not reflect the project’s final design, which is still in development. Graphic courtesy of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

An interior view of the new Peacock Hall addition is shown in this artist’s rendering. Note, this image does not reflect the project’s final design, which is still in development. Graphic courtesy of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

This architectural site plan shows the position of the addition that is planned for App State’s Peacock Hall. Graphic courtesy of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

This aerial photo of App State's Boone campus, taken May 7, 2025, offers a view of the construction work taking place for the Peacock Hall addition and renovation project. The addition is anticipated to open for the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

Workers are wrapping up exterior utility work for the Peacock Hall addition and renovation project at App State's Boone campus, as shown in this aerial photo, taken May 7, 2025. The addition’s concrete foundation is tentatively scheduled to be installed at the end of June 2025. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

This panoramic view of App State’s Boone campus shows construction work for the building addition at Peacock Hall, as April 9, 2025. The addition is anticipated to open for the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

Peacock Hall, located at App State’s Boone campus, is pictured April 9, 2025. Construction of the building’s addition is underway and slated for completion by fall 2026. The curved glass wall that made up part of Peacock Hall’s facade was demolished in mid-April, as part of the construction for the new addition. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

An aerial view of construction progress for the Peacock Hall addition and renovation project underway at App State's Boone campus. The building's new addition is slated to be completed in time for the fall 2026 semester. This image was taken March 11, 2025. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

This panoramic photo, taken March 11, 2025, shows Peacock Hall, at left, and Edwin Duncan Hall, at right — both of which are undergoing renovations. An addition is being constructed for Peacock Hall. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

This image, taken Feb. 6, 2025, shows an aerial view of the construction work taking place at App State’s Peacock Hall, home of the Walker College of Business. Construction is underway for the building’s addition, which is anticipated to open for the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

A panoramic view of App State’s Boone campus taken Feb. 6, 2025, with Peacock Hall featured at center. An addition for the building is under construction and slated to open for the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

An aerial view of construction progress for the Peacock Hall addition/renovation project at App State's Boone campus, as of Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

This image, taken Nov. 18, 2024, provides a view of construction progress for the Peacock Hall addition at App State, which is slated for completion in August 2026. Photo by Wes Craig and Chase Reynolds

A panoramic view of construction progress for the Peacock Hall addition, as of Sept. 10, 2024. The addition is anticipated to open for the fall 2026 semester. Photo by Wes Craig

Demolition work for the Peacock Hall patio area is nearly complete, as shown in this aerial image, taken Sept. 10, 2024. This demolition makes way for the construction of Peacock Hall's new addition. Photo by Wes Craig

Construction work for the Peacock Hall addition at App State's Boone campus is underway, as shown in this aerial photo, taken Aug. 13, 2024. Demolition of the building’s patio area began the week of Aug. 5. Photo by Wes Craig

Cracked exterior brick is among Peacock Hall’s deficiencies. Photo submitted

A deteriorating HVAC system in need of replacement is among Peacock Hall’s deficiencies. Photo submitted

Cracked glass panels are among Peacock Hall’s deficiencies. Photo submitted

Heavy doors that sag and jam are among Peacock Hall’s deficiencies. Photo submitted

Water damage is among Peacock Hall’s deficiencies. Photo submitted

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Status

Peacock Hall’s addition is anticipated to open for the fall 2026 semester, and the project is approximately 12% complete as of May 2025. During the first phase of the addition’s construction, the building entrance available from Howard Street will serve as Peacock Hall’s main entrance; this shift was made in the spring semester.

Workers are wrapping up exterior utility work for the project, which has included installing fire lines and pouring new manhole walls, and demolition of the curved glass wall that made up part of Peacock Hall’s facade was completed in mid-April. Recent construction work for the interior of the existing building includes the installation of temporary partition walls, as well as mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. Pouring of the addition’s concreate foundation is tentatively scheduled to take place at the end of June 2025.

The fenced area for the Peacock Hall construction site includes a portion of the adjacent Peacock Parking Lot. During the addition’s construction, parking will be unavailable in the rows located to the right of Peacock Lot’s entrance off of Rivers Street (the side of the lot that’s closest to Peacock Hall). New River Hall Lot has been reserved for faculty/staff permit holders.

A new pickup/drop-off area for AppalCART buses has been created in the Duncan/Rankin Parking Lot. The walkway located between the Edwin Duncan Hall Octagon and the former Peacock Traffic Circle, which provides access to the wide-walk that extends throughout the east side of the Boone campus, will remain open throughout the addition’s construction. Pedestrian crossings have been implemented between the the Peacock and Duncan/Rankin Parking lots and between the bus pickup/drop-off area and the walkway located between the Edwin Duncan Hall Octagon and the former Peacock Traffic Circle.

How is it funded?

App State received $25 million in legislative funding support for the Peacock Hall project as part of the FY 2021–22 biennial budget bill, signed into law by former Gov. Roy Cooper on Nov. 18, 2021. The bill also includes $200,000 for upgrades to Peacock Hall’s existing elevators. As part of the FY 2023–24 biennial budget bill, the state allocated an additional $15 million in support of the Peacock Hall project. Most recently, the university received an additional $2.5 million in state-allocated funding support for the project, through North Carolina House Bill 74 (House Budget Technical Corrections), which North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed into law on May 15, 2025.

The university’s Building Leaders fundraising initiative will supplement the state-allocated funds, with $5 million of the initiative’s $15 million goal dedicated toward the construction of the Peacock Hall addition. Building Leaders funds will also support faculty professorships, student scholarships and Dean’s Club-funded opportunities, such as professional development, study abroad programs, research and guest lectures from industry leaders, in Walker College.

A learning lab, to be constructed as part of the Peacock Hall addition, will be funded in part by a $1.3 million gift that App State alumnus Dennis Covington ’92 and his wife, Katherine Covington, made to App State in support of academic resources for Walker College and facilities for App State Athletics.

Who will benefit?

The college’s faculty, staff and approximately 4,000 students will benefit from the additional classroom, lab and office space provided through the Peacock Hall addition/renovation project.

Also, this project will help the Walker College of Business attract additional recruiters and high-profile business leaders who speak and engage with students at Walker College events, such as the Boyles Distinguished Lecture Series, the Global Opportunities and Business for Good Conference, and the Walker Business Connections Career Fair.

How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?

Providing the best environment for teaching and learning can impact recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff.