University of Nevada, Reno to Open Welcome Center Site
The university plans to convert the existing Walgreens location above Interstate 80 into a new campus welcome center.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Commercial
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The University of Nevada, Reno plans to transform the current Walgreens location above Interstate 80 into a university welcome center. The property, which sits on a unique concrete-and-steel deck, is expected to be vacated by the retailer next year.
Why it matters
This transition shifts a long-standing commercial space into a gateway for the campus community. The project hinges on final approval from the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents for a new long-term lease agreement.
The property occupies a concrete-and-steel deck built in 1974, which previously generated $60,000 in annual revenue under a 46-year lease. The university intends to secure the site through 2046, pending formal authorization.
The players
University of Nevada, Reno
A public land-grant research university that serves as a central educational institution for the local region.
Nevada Department of Transportation
The state agency responsible for managing highway infrastructure and the specific air rights over local interstates.
Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents
The governing body tasked with oversight and financial approval for university capital projects.
The details
The site is positioned on an elevated deck originally engineered for a failed 1960s hotel-casino project. After remaining vacant for over two decades, the space was developed into a retail storefront in 1999 and completed in 2002. The university's conversion process will require restructuring the existing air rights agreement currently held by the Nevada Department of Transportation.
Timeline
1974: The concrete-and-steel deck over Interstate 80 is constructed.
1999: Construction begins on the current retail store site.
2002: The retail building reaches completion.
2046: The proposed university lease agreement will conclude.
The Home Front
This project represents a significant repurposing of a landmark structure built during the 1974 development of the I-80 air rights deck. The transition marks a pivot from long-term private commercial retail leasing to public educational institution ownership.
Residents near the campus should anticipate construction activity as the university transitions the site into a welcome center next year. Keep an eye on university public notices for future updates regarding site access and campus traffic changes.
The takeaway
The transformation of the I-80 site signifies a major change in how the university utilizes landmark local infrastructure. Homeowners can track the progress of this institutional development by monitoring official updates from the university planning office.
Further reading
Learn more about local real estate shifts in our Commercial section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Elko Daily Free Press.
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