On Friday, April 10, a strong crowd gathered outside Anderson Hall at the University of Washington to celebrate the official reopening of the historic building. Following a ribbon‑cutting ceremony under overcast skies, guests moved indoors for refreshments and a firsthand look at the newly renovated space.
UW President Robert Jones joined leaders from the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, the UW College of the Environment, and City of Issaquah Mayor Mark Mullet in celebrating the reopening. A memorable highlight of the ceremony was the ribbon itself, which was custom-made in a campus lab and imprinted with leaves gathered from the building’s courtyard.
The event marked the completion of a 17‑month renovation of Anderson Hall, a progressive design‑build project with Lease Crutcher Lewis. The comprehensive rehabilitation preserves the 100‑year‑old building’s historic character while transforming it into a modern, connected home for the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. New and adaptive spaces, sustainable materials, and stronger connections to adjacent program buildings support collaboration and learning across the school.
Inside, the renovation blends storytelling and sustainability. A new two‑story curtainwall creates an accessible and welcoming south entrance, improving daylight inside the building and strengthening connections to the shared courtyard. Interior spaces reference the school’s field research environments through color, materials, and graphics, including wood salvaged from the original building, while building envelope and systems upgrades reduce operational carbon and improve comfort.
Anderson Hall stands as a refreshed campus landmark honoring its past while supporting the future at the University of Washington.