LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky marked a milestone Thursday with the ribbon-cutting of the Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building, a $60 million facility designed to prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders and strengthen the college's commitment to serving Kentucky's farming communities.

The 66,000-square-foot building, the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment's first new campus facility in nearly 35 years, serves as a central hub for teaching, advising and student engagement on the corner of Cooper Drive and South Limestone, according to a UK News release.

Named to honor the parents of late philanthropist Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton, the building features 18 state-of-the-art classrooms, collaborative study spaces and a café designed to foster community among students. The facility houses academic programs ranging from agricultural and medical biotechnology to the UK Ag Equine Programs, Natural Resources and Environmental Science, and pre-veterinary mentoring.

The building's creation was made possible in part by The Bill Gatton Foundation's transformational $100 million gift announced in May 2023. The foundation's grant represented the largest donation in UK's history and was believed to be the largest gift to any college of agriculture in the United States. Gatton, a 1954 UK graduate who grew up on a farm in western Kentucky, gave more than $180 million to the university over his lifetime before his death in April 2022.

UK President Eli Capilouto emphasized how the building strengthens the university's land-grant mission. "By creating a space where students, faculty and programs come together under one roof, we are strengthening our ability to prepare the next generation of leaders who will advance agriculture and improve lives across all 120 counties in our Commonwealth," Capilouto said.

The building represents part of a larger transformation across the college. The Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building is part of more than $450 million in capital investments supporting modern teaching, research and extension facilities across the college.

Tyren Harris, a freshman agricultural education major, said the investment signals the university's commitment to students. "This building creates a place where we can come together, get our work done and support each other. That makes a big difference in your experience as a student," Harris said.

The project was delivered through a collaborative effort that included BHDP architectural firm, Congleton-Hacker Company and University of Kentucky's Capital Projects and Facilities Management teams.