Higher Education

The University of Missouri Columbia is building a new 124,000-nsf Life Sciences Center (LSC). Construction began in December of 2001 on the $60-million project which will include a DNA research facility, five teaching/computer labs, a 250-seat auditorium, 50 research labs, technologically advanced classrooms, a greenhouse, and multipurpose equipment rooms. The facility will provide flexible space to maximize interactions and foster interdisciplinary team research.

Rutgers University is planning to expand its law school with the construction of a $20-million, 50,000-sf facility in the next three years. The building will be sited on a 2.2-acre surface parking lot adjacent to the existing 95,000-sf law school building. Rutgers is also moving to acquire Camden's Plaza Hotel to convert it into up to 250 graduate student housing apartments. The project will include ground level retail and will be launched in the next three years.

Fairfax-based Lorton Arts Foundation has submitted a proposal to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to redevelop the 41.4-acre former Lorton prison site as a community arts, education and cultural center. Centerbrook Architects of Centerbrook, Conn., designed the proposed Lorton Workhouse Arts Center, which would include galleries, event space, offices, artist studios, theatrical and production areas, heritage exhibits, and an outdoor music shed.

Northwestern University is developing Phase One of the Gladys & Arthur Pancoe Life Sciences Pavilion, a new 88,000-sf research facility housing the Center for Experimental Animal Research on the university's Evanston campus. The project will accommodate research for the University and Northwestern Healthcare’s Evanston Hospital. Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership of Los Angeles, the four-story building with basement will house flexible research labs, faculty offices, vivarium, auditorium, and a café.

Northwestern University has selected lead architect Davis Brody Bond to design its new 72,000-gsf Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center on the Evanston campus. The project team also includes engineers BR+A of New York and Chris P. Stefanos & Associates of Oak Lawn, Ill., with Tishman Construction Corp. as pre-construction contractor. The $30-million project is slated for completion in spring of 2003.

A plan for the World Trade Center including healthcare and biotechnology research facilities has been proposed by KMD Architects, a San Francisco firm with offices in New York. The plan also features a research tower, a 70-story hotel/office tower, and a separate 60-story student housing tower. Adjacent low rise buildings would house university satellite campuses including 5,000 residential units. The complex would include a performing arts center, open space, and memorials throughout the development.

Northwestern University is building the Benjamin W. Slivka Residence Hall, a 141-bed suite style dormitory for the Science and Technology Residential College. The Evanston building features a cyber cafe, a coffeehouse-style gathering place with Internet connections. Architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates designed the $13-million facility, which is slated for completion in fall of 2002. The general contractor for the project is Novak Construction Company of Chicago.

California State University at San Marcos has selected architectural firm Robbins Jorgensen Christopher of San Diego as master plan architects for its 304-acre campus, including $140-million in capital projects currently in design or construction. The $7.4-million, 35,000-sf Clarke Field House, now under construction, will house student meeting space, athletic facilities, and a small convenience store.  

The University of Denver has completed the design of its new College of Law building. Designed by Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston, in association with H&L Architects of Denver, the 190,000-sf facility is the nation's first certified "green" law school. The $50-million building features 40% lower energy usage than comparable new buildings and includes ultra-low-emitting wood products, paints and carpeting, a groundwater recapture-recycle system for landscaping, and bicycle and electric car refueling capabilities.

 Northwestern University began construction on the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center on its Chicago campus in March, 2002. Designed by lead architect Davis Brody Bond, LLP of New York and engineer BR+A of Boston, the 12-story building will house 9 laboratory floors with offices, a campus center on the ground floor, and two floors below grade for vivarium and mechanical rooms. Mechanical operations will also be housed on the second floor and the penthouse.

Sitework began in April on phase one of North Carolina State University's Undergraduate Science Teaching Lab (USTL) located on the main campus. 70,700 gsf of instructional chemistry and physics labs and classrooms will be constructed, as well as 40,500 sf of instructional laboratories, classrooms and greenhouses for horticultural sciences. The project, designed by Little and Associates Architects, is being built by contractor R.N. Rouse. Laboratory planner is Research Facilities Design of San Diego.

North Carolina State University is developing the 1,334-acre Centennial Campus in Raleigh, N.C., a mixed-use "technopolis" of university, corporate and government R&D facilities. With 1.3 million sf built in 16 major building modules, the Centennial Campus will also include a town center, business incubators, housing, and an executive conference center and hotel. The campus is comprised of the 1,120-acre Centennial Campus and the 214-acre Centennial Biomedical Campus.

Harvard Medical School (HMS) has outsourced all engineering and trade functions for mechanical systems maintenance to UNICCO Service Company. Supported by an onsite 24x7 call center, the staff of almost 50, including electricians, mechanics, plumbers, carpenters and locksmiths maintains all building systems, including HVAC and utilities. UNICCO also handles light construction and special projects as required. The contract calls for UNICCO to provide several advanced services including:

The University of Massachusetts is planning a $222.5-million student housing project on its Boston campus. Construction of the first $91.5-million, 900-bed phase could begin as early as summer of 2003. An additional $131 million would fund four more dormitories housing 1,100 students which could be completed by 2012. UMass Boston, currently perceived as a commuter school, hopes to attract more traditional students with the expansion. The project will require funding from state bonds, which have not yet been secured. 

The University of Denver has contracted Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott in association with H & L Architects of Denver to design the new College of Law building, the nation's first certified "green" law school. The 190,000-sf, $50-million facility, located on the main campus at University Park, will meet the exacting standards of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.