Project Details
The Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building at Iowa State University is one of the newest and most exciting additions to the university’s growing campus. Opened for the Fall 2025 semester, this impressive new facility was built to support Iowa State’s expanding engineering programs and provide students, faculty, and staff with a modern space designed for innovation, collaboration, and learning. Unlike many campus projects that involve remodeling or rehabilitation, the Therkildsen building was constructed entirely from the ground up as a brand-new, four-story engineering hall, adding approximately 80,000 square feet of new educational space to the university.For JC Toland Painting, this project was a standout opportunity to contribute to one of the most visible new academic buildings in the state of Iowa. From the early stages of construction through final completion, our team played a major role in the finishing work that helps define both the appearance and long-term durability of the structure.
The overall project was managed by Story Construction, who served as the general contractor and oversaw the development of this major higher education facility.
As a trusted commercial painting contractor in Iowa, JC Toland Painting handled much more than standard wall and ceiling finishes on this project. While interior wall and ceiling coatings were certainly part of the scope, the Therkildsen building also required a broad range of specialty painting and coating applications that demanded experience, coordination, and attention to detail. Our team applied coatings to exposed ceiling decks, handrail and guardrail systems, precast walls, exposed steel bar stock, angles, supports, and tubes, hollow metal doors and frames, exposed structural columns, and the building’s exterior bollard sets. We were also called on to improve the finish of the drywall from a level 4 to a level 5 with a high mil primer & surfacer. Large windows provide ample natural light and this step helps reduce any imperfections from showing through the specified paint.
Projects like this highlight the value of working with a painting contractor who understands the full scope of modern commercial construction. Large-scale institutional buildings, especially on active university campuses, require more than just basic “cut-and-roll” painting. They demand crews who can work efficiently around multiple trades, follow tight schedules, meet specification requirements, and deliver consistent results across a variety of substrates and finish systems. At JC Toland Painting, that’s exactly where we excel.
The Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building is a strong example of our capabilities in commercial painting, institutional painting, and new construction painting services. Whether the scope includes decorative interior finishes, exposed structural steel, specialty coatings, or exterior site elements, our team is equipped to handle the details that elevate a project from standard to exceptional. On a building like this, nearly every painted surface contributes to the final impression, and if you look closely through the finished project photos, you’ll notice that if a coating was applied, JC Toland Painting was likely involved.
We’re proud to have our work represented throughout one of Iowa State University’s newest engineering buildings, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to help bring such an important project to life. From higher education facilities and office buildings to industrial spaces and specialty finish packages, JC Toland Painting provides professional painting solutions built around quality, durability, and performance.
If you’re planning a commercial construction project in Iowa and need a contractor who can handle more than just basic painting, JC Toland Painting is ready to help. We work closely with owners, general contractors, and project teams to budget accurately, coordinate effectively, and deliver results that exceed expectations. If your project requires a dependable commercial painter for new construction, industrial coatings, or specialty finishes, contact our team today.
Click here to view Before/In-Progress photos.
