Johns Hopkins University is adding a new 56,000-square-foot research building to its Homewood Campus in North Baltimore.

The university expects to begin construction on the four-story building in 2012. It will be located on the southeast corner of the Decker Quadrangle and will adjoin Hackerman Hall, which houses computational science and engineering programs, and the university's admissions and visitors center Mason Hall.

The university announced the intention to construct the building on Monday after a $30 million donation to the school from Liberty Media Corp. chairman and JHU alumnus John C. Malone.

According to a university press release, the donation is the single largest gift to the Whiting School of Engineering.