Higher Education

American University is building the Park Bethesda Apartments, a student housing complex at the site of the former National Institutes of Health offices in Bethesda. Planned as a luxury apartment complex, the upscale development now under construction will house approximately 730 graduate and law students in 258 units. The 305,000-sf complex, designed by architect R.A. Ponte & Associates, will include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and two-story, three-bedroom units.

The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) has proposed the construction of the University of Texas Sports Science Institute, a world-class, multi-disciplinary research center for sports science. In addition to UTHSC, the project would be sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at San Antonio. The San Antonio campus would emphasize education, research, medicine, and psychology as they relate to sports; and community wellness. The project is awaiting approval in May from the University of Texas Board of Regents.

Johns Hopkins University, located in Baltimore, plans to expand its Shady Grove satellite campus in Rockville with a 130,000-sf building, the third at the 35-acre site. The facility is to house classrooms, administrative offices, and computer labs, as well as outside tenants who work or partner with the University. Spaulding & Slye Colliers was selected by the University to develop the new structure. Future expansion at the site will also be planned by the company.

Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies will invest $10 million to renovate the Wachovia building in downtown Atlanta. The building will house the Center for Urban Policy Studies, the school's new nonprofit center, four research centers, and the economics and public administration departments upon completion.

The University of Maryland has selected D.C. architectural firm OP-X to design an addition to its Inn & Conference Center in Adelphi, Md., compliant with the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program coordinated by the U.S. Green Building Council. Slated to begin construction in late spring of 2002 and reach completion in 2003, the 102,000-sf addition includes 6,000 sf of meeting space and 126 hotel rooms. Construction manager for the project is Bovis Lend Lease. 

The University of Texas Health Science Center has selected the team of Centex Construction Co. of Dallas and Zachry Construction Corp. of San Antonio to provide construction management services for its new academic administration and student services building. Located on its San Antonio campus, the 60,000-sf building will house administrative staff, including the Health Science Center president. HKS of Dallas will provide architectural services for the facility, which will serve as a gateway to the campus as well as a focal point.

Austin Community College (ACC) broke ground in April on its new 146,000-sf Health Careers Building. The $29-million health sciences center will be located at ACC’s Eastview campus in East Austin and will house up to 600 students. The facility will be built in two phases. Phase One, with a budget of $17.2 million, will provide 89,000 sf of lab, classroom and office space for nursing, surgical technology, radiology and dental hygiene programs. Completion of Phase One is anticipated in fall of 2003.

The University of Texas Medical Branch is establishing a Galveston telehealth research center slated to open in late April. The SBC Foundation, part of SBC Communications, awarded the medical complex a $1-million donation. The facility is the first of its kind in the nation.

The University of San Diego  is nearing completion of the reinforcing steel work for the new Center for Science and Technology, performed by San Diego-based Pacific Coast Steel Inc. Three million pounds of rebar are required for the 150,000-sf, $47-million facility.

The University of California San Diego is planning to build new facilities for the School of Medicine totalling 300,000 sf. Ninyo and Moore of San Diego will provide special inspection services and materials testing during construction of the $20-million project.

San Diego State University has contracted San Diego-based Ninyo & Moore to perform a geotechnical design evaluation of its proposed environmental laboratory. The $3-million, 48,000-sf facility will be built on the site of the former Naval Training Center.

Meredith College, a four-year private women's college, has selected Boston-based Shepley Richardson and Abbott to develop a master plan for its Raleigh campus.

The University of Phoenix, a subsidiary of Phoenix-based Apollo Group Inc., will relocate its Atlanta campus to a permanent North Fulton County location on April 19th. The new 26,000-sf facility is comprised of 16 classrooms, each accommodating 25 students. The school holds classes in the evenings Monday through Thursday. 

Goucher College of Towson, Md., has completed construction of a new 21,000-sf residence hall, as well as expansion and renovation and of the 74,350-sf Heubeck Hall. Both projects were designed and built by the Boston offices of Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Architecture & Engineering.

Washington University's Small Group Housing project was recently completed by McCarthy. The $44-million fast track project, designed by architect Mackey Mitchell Associates of St. Louis, totals 218,000 sf in four separate buildings. Included in the structures are 440 beds, dining and food service facilities for 600, classroom areas and a great hall containing extensive millwork. Construction was completed in 14 months.