CONNECTICUT Prep school gets new admissions offices WINDSOR - Florence E. Sellers Hall is the new $1.3 million home of the admissions and communications offices for the Loomis Chaffee School, an independent college-preparatory boarding and day school.
Attention to details, such as the building's brick exterior and slate roof, gives the hall a historic appearance that complements the existing campus buildings. The 6,000-square-foot building was completed in just nine months.
Architect for the project was DuBose Architects, and builder was Konover Construction.
ILLINOIS New building is campus focal point LEBANON - The Marion K. Piper Academic Center, a new $4.5 million academic building, will serve as a focal point for campus activities for McKendree College.
The 28,209-square-foot, two-story building hosts 13 state-of-the-art multimedia-equipped classrooms. It also houses faculty offices, the admissions department and a large commons area that serves as the "living room for the campus."
The commons area features a profusion of glass and a 32-foot-high ceiling. The exterior of the building is composed of red brick that matches existing campus architecture.
Architect for the project was Cannon Architects & Engineers, and Paric was design/build contractor.
Renovation adds safety features ELK GROVE VILLAGE - The refurbished Salt Creek Elementary School has two dropoff lanes - one for parents and one for buses - to help students enter the building more safely. The lanes are situated so that students don't have to cross streets after leaving a car or bus.
The $8.3 million redesign brings voice and data access to every classroom and eliminates the "octopus" look of the building that resulted from several additions since the school was built in 1963.
Salt Creek has a new administration center, library, gymnasium, fine-arts center and multipurpose room to complement 22 new classrooms.
Architect for the project was Legat Architects, and Bovis Construction was contractor.
INDIANA Foundation sponsors middle school design COLUMBUS - The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation is building the new Central Middle School, a 200,000-square-foot facility to be completed in 2003.
The Cummins Engine Foundation Architectural Program is sponsoring the school's design. Since the program was begun in 1957, it has paid $13.7 million in architectural fees for 42 projects in Columbus, including several schools. Central is the first school project sponsored by the program since 1989.
Architect for the project is Perkins and Will, in association with CSO Architects Engineers & Interiors.
Addition anticipates enrollment growth INDIANAPOLIS - Warren Central High School is adding 250,000 square feet to its 800,000-square-foot campus to accommodate enrollment growth. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the school is expected to grow to 4,000 students. It now serves 3,000.
The expansion will focus on the west side of the existing building and will house not only classroom spaces, but also counseling services, food services, physical education and athletics, performing arts and other program areas.
Preliminary plans call for the construction of additional academic space, along with an additional gymnasium and other support spaces, and changes to foot and vehicle traffic flow.
Architect for the project is CSO Architects Engineers & Interiors.
MAINE Upgrades at technical colleges AUBURN - Four of Maine's technical colleges will receive renovations and additions to upgrade facilities and technology.
A $4.3 million project at York County Technical College in Wells is currently under construction. Three other projects are slated for construction in 2001: a $3.25 million project at Central Maine Technical College in Auburn; a $5 million project at Southern Maine Technical College in South Portland; and a $3.4 million project at Kennebec Valley Technical College in Fairfield.
The work is part of a $26 million bond act approved by voters last November to fund improvements at all seven institutions in the technical college system.
Harriman Associates will provide services for the project.
MASSACHUSETTS Music building is expanded, renovated SOUTH HADLEY - The $5 million, 28,500-square-foot expansion of the Pratt Hall Music Building at Mount Holyoke College completely refigured the existing facilities. It provides a classroom and office addition to connect and unify the complex.
The project involved comprehensive renovation of Mount Holyoke's Music Department facility. A glazed addition provides a new large classroom with multimedia capabilities and studio offices for music-faculty teaching. A new skylighted corridor adjoining the auditorium connects the separate parts of the complex.
The library was expanded to house the previously dispersed music and dance collection. The 292-seat auditorium has received new finish and stage treatments, windows, a greenroom, and audiovisual and support systems. Acoustic treatments of the entire complex have been enhanced significantly.
Architect for the project was Miller Dyer Spears.
Centralized student center MEDFORD - Dowling Hall, a 210,000-square-foot, seven-story facility at Tufts University, was completed recently.
The building incorporates a centralized student-services center and a campus safety office, and provides 530 parking spaces. A 152-foot glycol heated bridge links the building with the Upper Campus, and a commissioned bronze sculpture honoring the school's mascot, Jumbo.
The contemporary design of Dowling Hall interprets the brick architecture found throughout the Tufts University campus, and serves as a gateway and entry point for the north side of the campus.
Architect for the project was ADD, and Kay Construction was the design/build contractor.
NEVADA Student services building opens RENO - The new Student Services Building at the University of Nevada - Reno forms a gateway for the North end of campus. The $8 million, 51,000-square-foot building has a large plaza that serves as an activity hub for students.
The design incorporates brick and cast-in-place concrete walls. It offers a collegiate presence that complements the historical campus character. The circular plaza and the exterior staircase lead to a continuous colonnade that wraps the building.
The building houses student recruitment, enrollment, financial aid and campus police.
Architect for the project was Sheehan Van Woert Bigotti Architects.
NEW MEXICO Renovated residence halls LAS CRUCES - Students at New Mexico State University are enjoying newly renovated residence hall rooms following the completion of an $11 million renovation.
The project entailed renovating the 30-year-old Garcia Hall building with 450 rooms to create a modern, attractive residence hall that would be more appealing to students. The 160,000-square-foot, three-story building accommodates up to 900 students.
Room renovations included: more efficient heating, ventilating and cooling systems; the building was upgraded to conform to current code standards; improved electrical systems; and ADA accommodations.
A brighter, more modern facade was created by painting metal accent features bright red and creating 3-D relief to the front entry wall plane. In addition, a new elevator and elevator tower structure were incorporated, and wall enclosures were removed.
Each room now features access to Internet data lines and cable TV. Old locks were replaced with access cards.
The renovation was completed by BPLW Architects.
OHIO Work begins on "crossroads" renovation COLUMBUS - The Page Hall/John Glenn Institute and School of Public Policy and Management at Ohio State University will undergo a $16 million renovation.
The existing 44,500-square-foot building will be redesigned to accommodate computer labs, classrooms, administrative offices and exhibit space for former U.S. Senator John Glenn's archives.
One of the challenges of the renovation is to create a space that will serve as a "crossroads" for all the different groups that will use Page Hall - students, faculty and the community.
Plans include retaining many of the original architectural details, while creating space that is modern and capable of expanding and contracting to meet student and staff needs.
Lincoln Street Studio will redesign the hall. The programming phase began last April, with schematic design in December. The project is slated for completion in January 2004.
PENNSYLVANIA Work begins on new high school MCDONALD - Sitework has begun for the new South Fayette Township High School. The 175,000-square-foot complex will complete the school district's 105-acre campus as an "academic village" that includes an existing elementary school and middle school.
The school will serve as a community center for the arts, athletics and continuing education. It will have an 800-seat auditorium in a fine-arts complex; a 1,000-seat spectator gymnasium in a sports and fitness complex; and a technology/media center at the heart of the school with television studio, webcasting and distance-learning capabilities.
The building is scheduled for completion in 2002. Architect for the project is Hayes Large Architects.
Additions to research-oriented campus ERIE - Three projects are underway at Knowledge Park, the 200-acre, research-oriented business center jointly developed by the Greater Industrial Development Corporation and Penn State Erie.
Construction is now underway on the $3.4 million Knowledge Park Training Center, which will be operated by the Northwest Pennsylvania Technical Instutite. The facility will help fill the need for machine repair technicians to serve the plastics and tool and die industries in the region.
Between 150 and 200 students will be trained annually. Students will learn the use of injection molding machines, as well as automotive tool and die molds, design, quality control, machine repair, metallurgy and metrology.
In addition to the training center, a 70,000-square-foot, $4 million speculative office building and 10,000-square-foot childcare center are being developed. The $1.5 million childcare center is being developed for faculty and students at the adjacent Penn State Erie Behrend College campus. Both facilities are scheduled for completion in 2001.
Detroit - Wayne State University's "World Bridge" global education center, Detroit, will allow the school to become a major contender in the bid for remote delivery of academic, professional and technical skills.
"Our mission is to provide education to the furthest reaches of the globe, and `global literacy' to the furthest reaches of the mind," says Dallas Kenny, World Bridge president. "The day of the `ugly American', who dominates the planet by means of superior might, is long gone. Today's successful competitors are well-rounded global citizens who can traverse the bounds of language and culture with ease."
The `World Bridge' global education complex is in Alex Manoogian Hall, Detroit's largest venue for learning foreign languages and cultures. It has five video conference systems and 275 computers linked to one of the most powerful broadband fiber networks in the United States.
One company, Nova Solutions, which holds a key patent on the ISO 9000 standard for ergonomically safe office furniture, recently donated 250 computer desks to the project. Avaya, the successor to Lucent, has provided the videoconferencing systems.
World Bridge is more than just a cutting-edge distance-education facility, however. It is a dynamic partnership of university, business and community leaders who share a common vision for global education.
The language and culture departments affiliated with World Bridge teach Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Italian, Hebrew, Greek, Slavic languages and English as a Second Language. These programs are supported by WorldView, Michigan's only large-scale international satellite TV service that can be accessed entirely through students' computer monitors.
World Bridge now has two major branches: Japan Bridge, a program aimed at students and companies involved in U.S.-Japan trade; and German Bridge, a high-tech learning link with the WSU Junior Year Institute in Munich. These bridges are supported by organizations such as the Japan Business Society of Detroit, the Consulate General of Japan, the German-American Chamber of Commerce, and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association.
