Higher Education

Three universities in the Triangle have plans for new genomics facilities, faculty, and equipment. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has targeted $245 million for genomics development. North Carolina State University is investing $300 million in genome science initiatives and plans to build three new buildings. Duke University has budgeted $200 million for construction of four new facilities, one of which is the Center for Human Disease Models, a facility housing more than 36,000 cages.

The University of Texas at San Antonio plans to develop its Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building with $22.9 million received from a $1 billion state revenue bond initiative for new projects. The $64 million facility is currently in the programming stage which should be completed by September. Architect of record for the project, which has not yet entered the design phase, is FPK of Houston.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio could benefit from a $1 billion revenue bond initiative for new projects in Texas. The campus is eligible to receive up to $29 million for new facility construction housing academic administration and student services, including a Laredo Extension Campus support building.

Emory University School of Medicine is planning a $15 million faculty and education building on the Grady Memorial Hospital campus. The facility is slated for completion at the end of 2003.

The University of Denver is planning a new College of Law facility. The 191,000-sf building will be designed by Boston-based Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott and H+L Architects of Denver, and will feature structured and underground parking for 800 vehicles.

The University of Phoenix has selected Braintree-based Integrated Builders to develop a 13,000-sf satellite campus in Braintree.

Wellesley College has selected Genesis Planners and Builders Inc. of Waltham as project manager for its Alumnae Valley redevelopment. Scope of the project, to be completed by 2005, includes landscape restoration of the valley, a new campus center, and a 500-car garage.

The University of Maryland's Shady Grove campus in Rockville is planning to begin expansion of its Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology (CARB) in March 2002. The current 88,000-sf facility will be joined by another four-story, 140,000-sf building dubbed CARB II. The $38 million project is designed by architects Burt Kosar Rittelmann Associates of Pennsylvania, with construction company Barton Malow of Southfield, Mich.,  as general contractor. The facility is slated for completion in 2004.

The University of San Diego broke ground in May 2001 on the new four-story, 150,000-sf Science and Technology Center. The $47-million building will contain state-of-the-art labs, a vivarium, a greenhouse, aquariums, an astronomy deck, and a large conference area. San Diego architects Carrier-Johnson designed the facility, which is being built by Rudolph/Sletten. Completion is anticipated by 2003.

Western Michigan University’s new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Research Building has been designed and engineered by HarleyEllis of Southfield, Mich., in collaboration with design consultant Rossetti Architects of Birmingham, Mich. It houses teaching, lab, and support spaces for the College’s six departments. The $56-million, 350,000-sf facility is situated within the University’s newly developed Business-Technology Research Park in Kalamazoo. The building is designed with three wings radiating from a central hub that houses lecture halls and common areas.

Western Michigan University is building a 50,000-sf Paper Technology Pilot Plant at its new Business-Technology-Research Park. Scheduled for completion in December 2001,  it will be the first in a series of new buildings that will comprise the new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Complex. Architect for the pilot plant is HarleyEllis, with design consultant Rosetti Architects of Birmingham, Mich.

The University of California, Merced,  will occupy a newly-completed 68,000, five-story office building—“University Square”—in Bakersfield. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools is also a tenant. Classrooms occupy the first two floors, with the upper floors housing support offices. An adjacent parking structure is also part of the project designed by Ware Malcomb of Irvine, Calif. The developer is The Allen Group. The general contractor was S.C. Anderson Inc. of Bakersfield.

Principia College in Elsah, Ill., contracted Mackey Mitchell Associates to design the Watson Science Building addition. Originally designed by Bernard Maybeck in the 1930's, the 51,000-sf project followed green design principles. It includes faculty offices, classrooms and labs for 10 science departments, a 200-seat auditorium and a greenhouse.

Laney College in Oakland, Ca., has transformed its vocational courses facility into a $2.5-million high-tech training center. Originally built in the 1970's, Building E houses the 6,000-sf New Technology Center designed by architectural firm Ratcliff of Emeryville.  The center was completed in February and includes two 43-workstation specialized multimedia labs, a networking lab, two round-the-clock workstation laboratory classrooms, a conference room and offices.

Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., has selected Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott to design a new 135,000-sf Law School and a 70,000-sf Sports and Fitness Center. The Eric Hotung International Law Building will feature academic classrooms, a library, a high-tech moot court room, and will house the University's Graduate School program. The Scott K. Ginsburg Sport and Fitness Center will offer students a range of recreational activities including a swimming pool, indoor track, weight and aerobic rooms.