Higher Education

The Central Institute for the Deaf, an institution combining oral education for deaf children, scientific research, clinical services, and graduate education, has expanded their urban St. Louis campus. The new two-story, 42,000-sf classroom building resembles the original 1928 Mediterranean-style building. The school has a full-sized gym, family center, music, art and discovery rooms, and a library/computer lab suite. Each classroom meets rigid acoustical requirements for background noise.

Florida State University (FSU) has selected HOK Florida to design the expansion and renovation of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. The Ringling Museum is the largest university museum in the nation. The proposed $44 million project will expand the complex to include a new Visitor Center and Interactive Art Education Facility. An adjunct to the existing Museum will include new art exhibiition galleries as well as a new Art Collection, Library and Archives Facility.

Ground was recently broken on the Koret Comparative Genomics Laboratory at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Made possible by a $1 million Koret Foundation grant, the lab is slated to open in 2002. Research subjects will inlcude genetically related pet disorders such as canine heart problems and feline cancers, eye disorders and head defects.

The Center for Applied Genetic Technologies has opened its doors at the University of Georgia. The $28 million, 40,000-sf facility will accommodate animal and plant science researchers and includes a 20,000-sf biotech incubator, the Georgia BioBusiness Center.

San Francisco State University is expanding in the East Bay, leasing 29,676-sf for its Oakland Multimedia Center. The facility will host multimedia training classes in the evenings and will serve as a conference center by day.

Clark University of Worchester has selected Waltham-based Genesis Planners and Builders to build a 30,000-sf field house at Granger Field. The facility will house locker rooms, training facilities and 16,000 sf of multi-purpose practice space for recreational sports and Clark's outdoor athletic teams. Chan Krieger & Associates of Cambridge, Geller Sport of Boston and Delphi Construction of Waltham are working with Genesis on the project.

The Computer History Museum is planning a 41,000-sf facility near Mountain View in the NASA Research Park, a shared-used R&D campus proposed for Moffett Federal Airfield. Housing a large collection of computing artifacts, the Museum would open a temporary "Beta Building" in summer of 2002 with completion of the permanent facility slated for 2005.

Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh is planning a new 5,000-seat outdoor track and field facility. The $5.4-million development is funded by a private grant of $750,000 with an equal amount from the Raleigh City Council, pending Council approval.

Winston Salem State University (WSSU) is breaking ground on a 150-unit, 448-bed residence complex in December 2001. The $17.6 million privatized facility is funded by the sale of WSSU Housing Foundation bonds.

A new Fairfax County bioinformatics incubator opening in January 2002 will house the Medical Campus of North Virgina Community College as well as offices for Inova Fairfax Hospital. Located near the Franconia-Springfield Metro station, the incubator is projected to eventually become a full-fledged medical research campus. Holding up to eight companies, the incubator includes 8,500-sf of office space and will cost $1.5 million over three years to operate.

Northeastern University has opened the doors of the Molecular Biology Institute, a biotech incubator to focus on applied neuropharmacogenomics. The university has also launched a fund-raising campaign for construction of a new DNA mircroarray facility.

Santa Clara University is planning a three-story, 82,000-sf facility as the new home of the Leavey School of Business. Funded by a $15 million pledge, the new building will house the science, technology and society center, several conference rooms, and will consolidate all MBA and executive curriculum business classrooms.

The University of Califonia's government studies externship program has now occupied its new 176,270-sf Washington facility. The 11-story, $30-million dollar building was designed by architect Einhorn Yaffee Prescott and houses dormitory space for 300 students, classrooms and office space. Managing the project was Mark G. Anderson Consultants with Tompkins as general contractor and Clark performing foundation work.

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD), has selected Gilbane Building Co. as construction manager/general contractor for a new $60-million research facility for the California Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology called Cal-(IT)²—a partnership between UCSD and the University of California, Irvine. The 215,000-sf facility will consist of research neighborhoods, specialized labs, and administrative offices.

Amherst College has selected Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott of Boston to design two new freshman dormitories on the College campus. The new dorms will be sited where the existing James and Stearns residential halls are located. The College has also assigned the company the conversion of its Pratt Geology Museum to a residence hall.