Space Optimization Studies & Lab Enhancements

When Elizabethtown College set out to launch its new Physician Assistant (PA) Program, the College initially planned to expand its Masters Science Center – a $12 million total project investment that exceeded what leadership felt comfortable supporting.

Rather than breaking ground on a costly new facility, the College partnered with The Collaborative and CFP to explore a smarter path forward. Through a campus-wide Space Optimization Study, our team analyzed how existing facilities could better serve new academic programs and improve space utilization across campus. The findings were transformative. By reimagining existing space, we identified a way to house the new PA program within the current Masters Science Center footprint—saving the College millions in construction costs while enhancing facilities for Occupational Therapy, Chemistry, and Biology.

With a data-informed strategy and a focus on stewardship, Elizabethtown avoided unnecessary expansion while increasing its capacity for growth — a model of financially responsible planning in higher education.