Higher Education

Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the third quarter of 2019. Key points include:

Concordia University of Nebraska opened the $24.5 million Dunklau Center for Science, Math and Business in November of 2019 in Seward. Comprising 58,000 sf of new construction and 28,000 sf of renovated space, the 86,000-sf facility accommodates programs in biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, agricultural science, mathematics, business, and computer science.

The University of Southern Maine is planning to break ground in spring of 2020 on a $100 million student center and residence complex in Portland. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the project will be constructed with cross-laminated timber and will leverage Passive House ventilation strategies to optimize energy efficiency. The 60,000-sf student hub and career center will border one side of a new college green, adjacent to two interlocking dormitories providing 379 residential units offering approximately 575 beds.

The Ohio State University is planning to construct two collocated research facilities in its West Campus innovation district in Columbus. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan, the 305,000-sf Interdisciplinary Research Facility will provide a vivarium, support spaces, and wet, computational, and core labs for programs in engineering and medical research.

The University at Albany, State University of New York (UAlbany) has developed a rigorous new process for allocating space to improve utilization, decrease operating costs, and create more collaborative research environments capable of attracting high-quality researchers and students. The initiative was triggered in part by a growing influx of students and faculty and the creation of two new colleges—the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity; and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The new space allocation and management process helps reduce the role politics plays in decision-making and better aligns facility use with university goals. The basis for the process is an understanding that campus space is a valuable limited resource that should be strategically deployed to achieve specific measurable goals, just like staffing or capital.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo dedicated the $31 million Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy in December of 2019. Designed by SmithGroup and WCIT Architecture, the 45,000-sf facility offers technology-rich environments for applied learning including collaborative classrooms, teaching labs, seminar rooms, and a simulated pharmacy. The three-story structure includes research labs for pharmaceutical discovery as well as a medication therapy management suite, consultation rooms, and a resource center.

Florida Atlantic University hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for its $35 million Neuroscience Building in Jupiter in November of 2019. Construction will begin in summer of 2020 on the facility, which will provide shared research labs, faculty offices, a business incubator, and instructional space for programs in neuroscience, biotechnology, bioengineering, bioinformatics, and chemistry. The 58,000-sf project is strategically sited on the John D.

Dixie State University dedicated the $60 million Human Performance Center in November of 2019 in St. George, Utah. Collocating academic, athletic, and recreational functions in a single integrated location, the 155,000-sf building provides learning environments, fitness facilities, and multipurpose spaces for the Health & Human Performance Department.

Michigan State University broke ground on the $85 million Doug Meijer Innovation Building in Grand Rapids in November of 2019. Designed by SmithGroup, the 205,000-sf facility will house multiple tenants including Spectrum Health, BAMF Health, and MSU's College of Human Medicine. The collaborative six-story building will enable the discovery and commercialization of new medical devices, artificial intelligence technologies, and treatments for cancer and dementia.

Flexibility is the key to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, long regarded as a prime example of successful industry/academic spaces, where 190 graduate students in the media arts and sciences pursue degrees and engage in a wide research agenda. The Lab occupies 163,000 gsf across two buildings: part of the Weisner building, which opened in 1985, and a six-story addition completed in 2009, a decade after design began. The majority of the Lab’s $80 million operating budget is supported through a corporate membership model.

California State University, San Bernardino opened the $55 million Center for Global Innovation in November of 2019. Serving as the centerpiece of the campus, the three-story, 71,000-sf facility features 24 collaborative classrooms, reconfigurable multipurpose rooms, and casual study lounges. The building houses the College of Extended Learning and the university's international student programs, as well as providing administrative offices, a 250-seat auditorium, and retail food amenities.

Florida Gulf Coast University broke ground in November of 2019 on a $59.9 million building for The Water School in Fort Myers. Designed by RG Architects and HuntonBrady, the four-story, 117,000-sf facility will provide 58,000 sf of research labs, 15,000 sf of teaching labs, and 23,400 sf of classrooms. The project will be the largest academic structure on FGCU's campus and will support interdisciplinary environmental sciences programs focused on water quality, policy, and management.

Utah Valley University broke ground in November of 2019 on the $75 million Scott C. Keller Building in Orem. Housing the Woodbury School of Business, the 180,000-sf facility will feature experiential learning environments including the Bloomberg Lab, the SmartLab, the Entrepreneurship Institute, and the Money Management Resource Center. The building will also offer a large lecture auditorium, a student success center, 205 offices, and 30 classrooms with integrated lecture-capture technologies to enable students to participate remotely.

Stanford University opened a $256 million biomedical research complex in November of 2019 in Stanford, Calif. Designed by Ennead Architects, the four-story, 235,000-sf project includes the Stanford ChEM-H (Chemistry, Engineering & Medicine for Human Health) Building and the Stanford Neurosciences Building, which houses the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute.

Georgia Institute of Technology dedicated the $30 million Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design in October of 2019 in Atlanta. Designed by Lord Aeck Sargent & The Miller Hull Partnership, the 47,000-sf facility provides two 64-person classrooms, a maker space, four class labs, a conference room, offices, and a 176-person auditorium.