University of Idaho Campus Photographs Collection

History

The Vehicle Research Laboratory (VRL) began as the University Garages in 1941, established to support the growing university motor pool during a period of campus expansion funded by the state legislature. Expanded in 1946 with a multi-bay garage, the building reflects the university’s adaptation to wartime and postwar needs, accommodating students entering the workforce after World War II. In the 1990s, the facility was repurposed as the base for the University of Idaho Recycling program. Today, it serves multiple departments, including engineering outreach and the National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology (NIATT).

The single-story, rectangular VRL is constructed of red pressed brick laid in stretcher bond with occasional header bonds, resting on a concrete foundation and topped with a medium-gable metal roof. Functional in design, the building features metal shop doors, metal-framed sash windows, and louvered vents, with minimal ornamentation consistent with its service purpose. A 1946 garage addition was removed in the early 2000s, and the exterior was refaced with matching brick. Renovations in the 1990s included replacing windows, doors, and the roof to maintain its utility.