Opening December 2011
In 2010, Elon acquired property adjoining Danieley Center, including 9.5 acres of land and the 150,000-square-foot former Smithfield Foods building, which will undergo a complete interior demolition and renovation. The facility will be named the Gerald L. Francis Center to honor Executive Vice President Gerry Francis, who has dedicated his entire academic career to Elon.
The Francis Center will be the new home of the doctor of physical therapy program and the new master of physician assistant studies program, which will open in January 2013, and it will provide new labs for the exercise science undergraduate program. DPT’s relocation from McMichael Science Center will allow 17,000 square feet of space to be repurposed for much-needed undergraduate science expansion.
This summer, Elon developed new intramural and club sports playing fields adjacent to the Francis Center and has connected them with a new road to Danieley Center.