UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall underwent a major renovation and expansion, which wrapped up in spring 2023. The project involved the renovation of the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant on its existing footprint, as well as a new, three-story addition for the Center for Dairy Research (CDR). The completion of the project was celebrated in April 2023 at a grand opening event and a public open house.

Babcock Hall was built in the early 1950s, and today houses the Department of Food Science, the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, the Babcock Hall Dairy Store and the CDR. This construction project represented the first major upgrade to the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant since then. It also provided the CDR, which was established in 1986, with the space and equipment it needs to meet its research and outreach mission.

The architectural plan for the project was developed with the support of a design team including representatives from the state Division of Facilities Development, UW–Madison and industry groups working with vendor Zimmerman Architectural Studios. Construction started in 2018, led by state-selected contractor C.D. Smith Construction.