Higher Education

Baylor University broke ground on the new 500,000-sf Baylor Sciences Building on May 17, 2002. The $103-million facility will consolidate departments currently located within the University's science buildings. Comprised of three wings, the four-story structure will house life sciences, physical sciences, and five multidisciplinary research/education centers. It will feature 90 research labs, 80 teaching labs, 187 faculty offices, 48 shared suites, and 6 departmental suites.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Behring Center, has selected the New York-based architecture firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to launch the museum's renovation of its 38-year-old building. The project will improve visitor circulation and navigation, increase exhibition space, and update and improve public facilities, such as restrooms, restaurants and other amenities.

Top priorities under the contract include:

Lafayette College of Lehigh Valley, Pa., has selected Boston-based Cannon Design to develop a varsity athletic facilities master plan. Lafayette's 80,000-sf Kirby Field House addition was recently planned and programmed by Cannon. The Kirby addition features a three-court gymnasium, fitness/running room, elevated running track, multipurpose rooms, racquetball and squash courts, a climbing wall and full support facilities.

Temple University of Philadelphia is relieving its shortage of student housing with the renovation of the old Kardon building to create a 187-unit apartment complex. Part of a campus plan formed in 1998, the 473,000-sf, eight-story building will be converted over the summer and will house students in the fall. The $24-million apartment complex will support 425 residents in one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 900- to 1,500-sf. Although three floors are slated for freshman students, the remainder of the apartment complex is open to non-university renters.

Dean College dedicated the new Robert F. Lucey Center for Technology & Training in February 2002. Formerly an under-utilized library study space, the Center contains a multimedia instructor teaching station and two classrooms each housing 20 fully loaded student computers.  Featuring the latest technology, the Lucey Center is designed to provide Dean's 900 students with the training and technical education in demand by local employers. Faculty will begin using the Center in fall of 2002.

Stanford University is planning to build a state-of-the-art book storage facility on 5.8 acres recently purchased in the National Business Park in Livermore.

The University of Maryland has broken ground on its $124-million, 360,000-sf Baltimore dental school. The building is slated for occupancy in 2005.

Indiana University has selected Flad & Associates to design a new 142,000-sf multidisciplinary science facility for their Bloomington campus. The new scientific research building, currently in the early stages of programming, will bring together several areas of science into one facility. The space will be designed to support the full spectrum of sciences including biology, chemistry, cognitive science, physics and biochemistry.

Clark University has selected Waltham-based Genesis Planners to design a new 30,000-sf field house and athletic fields at Granger Field in Worcester. Including locker rooms and training facilities for outdoor athletic teams and recreational sports, the $7.5-million facility features a 16,000-sf multipurpose practice space.

Ground was broken on Saint Mary's College's new Syufy Performing Arts Center in May. The 7,000-sf building will house programs in dance and music in addition to providing space for individual and group instrument practice. A scene design and storage facility is included in the project. The building, slated for completion in 2003, is named after regent and trustee Raymond J. Syufy.

Cuyamaca College in El Cajon has completed its new 10,500-sf, $3.5-million child development center. Designed by San Diego-based NTD Architects, the facility was built by La Mesa, Calif., contractor Kvaas Construction Co.

New liberal arts institution Southern Catholic College contracted the HOK Planning Group, a landscape architectural and urban design firm based in Atlanta, to develop the master plan for a mixed-use pedestrian-oriented campus. A subsidiary of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Inc. of St.

Southwestern College is building a $22-million project referred to as Education Village on  3.3 acres purchased from the Community Development Commission. The National City project is part of a collaboration of Southwestern and San Diego State University (SDSU) to provide lower level courses for students transferring from Southwestern to SDSU. The development will consist of two buildings totalling 72,000 sf. The 25,000-sf building will house the San Diego County Office of Education.

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is planning a new student housing project. Phase one, a $16-million, 500-bed complex, will be built in summer of 2002. Phase two consists of a $25-million, 750-room project. Phase three includes an additional 500 rooms. UTSA, San Antonio’s only major public university, hopes to change its status as primarily a commuter school with the new dormitory facilities. The University is currently engaged in an expansion totalling over $175 million in new construction, half of which is devoted to a new science building.

Montgomery College of Rockville has selected Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Architecture & Engineering PC, a firm with local offices in Boston, to provide comprehensive master planning for the college’s Rockville, Takoma Park, and Germantown campuses.