Architect Doug Marsh, ‘most impactful builder in Notre Dame’s history,’ to retire after 30-year University career

Published:October 11, 2024

Author:Sue Ryan

University of Notre Dame Executive Vice President Shannon Cullinan has announced that Doug Marsh, vice president for facilities design and operations and University architect, will retire May 31, 2025, after a 30-year career at the University.

"Over the past three decades, Notre Dame's campus has experienced tremendous growth, and Doug has been at the forefront of ensuring that we have world-class facilities to support the teaching, research and community-building that are at the heart of the University's mission," President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., said. "His deep appreciation for the beauty, functionality and safety of the campus is unrivaled, and we could not be more grateful for his invaluable contributions."

During Marsh's tenure, campus has grown by 55 percent, from 7.3 million to 11.3 million square feet, and 60 major buildings were opened including new research facilities, academic spaces, residence halls, sacred spaces and student life facilities. Twenty-five smaller structures that support campus infrastructure and operations have also been built since 1995.

"Doug is arguably the most impactful builder in Notre Dame's history," Cullinan said. "He has led with exceptional wisdom, humility and a true servant's heart. His legacy on our physical campus, our culture and our spirits will be felt for years to come."

Marsh led the drafting of the University's original Campus Plan in 2002 and updated it in 2008, 2017 and, most recently, 2024. This plan provides a framework to accommodate Notre Dame's future aspirations and details the Seven Tenets of Planning to preserve the qualities that uniquely reflect Notre Dame.

The Campus Plan also informed the development of the University's new Arts Gateway at the southern edge of campus, as well as the University's engagement in the Northeast Neighborhood and the creation of Eddy Street Commons, which now offers a vibrant college town environment in easy walking distance from campus.

In addition, Marsh led the 800,000-square-foot Campus Crossroads project, the largest construction project ever undertaken by the University. Corbett Family Hall, Duncan Student Center and O'Neill Hall opened in 2017 and added classroom, research, student life, media, performance, event and hospitality space.

"I am extremely humbled and grateful to have walked alongside a legion of friends, colleagues, leaders, benefactors, scholars, students, alumni and mentors who have all shared a deep love for this extraordinary place," Marsh said. "Notre Dame has blessed me and my family in profound and countless ways, and we will be forever thankful."

Marsh's impact on Notre Dame has been also felt abroad as he led projects including the design and construction of academic centers and student residences in Rome, London and Dublin.

Safety and sustainability have been hallmarks of Marsh's career. The relocation of Angela Boulevard and of Edison, Juniper and Douglas roads 20 years ago, all projects led by Marsh, allowed the University to improve pedestrian safety, enlarge the campus core by 400 acres and reshape the eastern part of campus.

Inspired by the University's commitment to the environment, Marsh and his team have significantly advanced Notre Dame's transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Notre Dame's carbon emissions are down 48 percent compared to 2005, and the University is on target toward its goal of 65 percent reduction by 2030. The centerpiece of this transformation is the addition of 2,400 geothermal wells throughout campus and the construction of a new geothermal plant north of the Joyce Center. Nearly a third of all campus buildings will be LEED-certified when the buildings currently under construction are completed.

A South Bend native, Marsh returned to the University in 1995 after 13 years of working as an architect. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Notre Dame and worked in private practice prior to joining the University's staff. He and his wife, Pam, have two sons: Adam, a 2011 Notre Dame alumnus, and Alex, a 2014 Notre Dame alumnus.

###

Media contact: Sue Ryan, [email protected]

Posted In:

• University News