The UConn School of Business’ graduate degree programs based in downtown Hartford received good news recently—they will remain in their current location and expand to additional space.

Not only did the Board of Trustees vote to extend the Graduate Business Learning Center’s (GBLC) lease at 100 Constitution Plaza, but also agreed to add two additional floors to the existing space, allocating a total of six floors of classroom, meeting and office space.

Original plans had called for splitting the School of Business’ Hartford location to space within the former Hartford Times building and 38 Prospect Street. But due to extremely large program growth over the past few years, university officials determined that the School needed more room than could be offered at either facility. The GBLC is just a short walk from the developing site; approximately five minutes across the plaza.

“The expansion of the space for graduate programs, within our current home in downtown Hartford, will both offer the additional space required for our growth and establish a great presence for the University in downtown Hartford,” said John A. Elliott, dean of the School of Business. “This is an exciting time both for our programs and our students.”

Mike Menard, the director of the Hartford campus, said the expansion of the Hartford campus will be welcomed by many.

“The Graduate Business Learning Center will be fully embedded with the rest of the Hartford campus,” Menard said. “The students will have full access to the amenities and services and the School of Business graduate programs will have the full support of campus administration.”

“The expansion in the GBLC will begin January 2017,” said Suresh Nair, associate dean. As the School moves forward with its plans, it will be working with program directors, faculty and students to devise a revamped space that supports educational and study needs.