Higher Education

Georgia State University opened a biotechnology R&D center called CollabTech in November 2000. The incubator, funded partially by the Georgia Research Alliance and with support from the Advanced Technology Development Center, is aimed at providing access to the most advanced equipment for biotechnology start-ups, as well as enabling the university and its students to participate in cutting-edge research and discoveries. The University of Georgia plans to open an agricultural biology research center, called AgTech, in March 2001.

St. John's College has awarded Bovis Lend Lease of Washington, D.C., a contract for construction management as the college renovates both Mellon Hall and the Francis Scott Key Auditorium. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2001.

Wittenberg University has selected Holabird & Root of Chicago to design the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center and renovate the existing building. The first phase of a two phase project includes a 47,000-sf expansion of the original 96,000-sf facility to primarily house classroom, laboratory, and office space with state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical systems. The facility will house the disciplines of Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Geology, Health Professions, Marine and Molecular Biology, Mathematics, and Physics.

Trevecca Nazarene University expected to dedicate its new $10.5 million Waggoner Library and Center for Instructional Technology in November 2000. The three-story, 61,489-sf facility was designed by Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) of Nashville. ESa also served as interior designer for the library. The periodicals and rotunda areas, which serve as the building's main gathering space, are also designed to accommodate hosted receptions. The grand reading room housing stacks and tables is bathed in natural light.

Indian School of Business is under construction in Hyderabad, the "Silicon Valley" of India. The campus encompasses 660,000 sf and is located on 250 acres. Each classroom will be fully wired, with a computer and videoconferencing capability at each desk. The communications network will be set up to ensure instant global connectivity. The school will accommodate a large number of formal and informal break-out spaces. John Portman & Associates designed the school, which will be the first fully air-conditioned school in India.

Trevecca Nazarene University dedicated its new $10.5 million Waggoner Library and Center for Instructional Technology in November 2000. The three-story, 61,489-sf facility was designed by Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) of Nashville. ESa also served as interior designer for the library. The periodicals and rotunda areas, which serve as the building's main gathering space, are also designed to accommodate hosted receptions. The grand reading room housing stacks and tables is bathed in natural light. The MBA lecture room features tiered seating for 80.

The Indian School of Business is under construction in Hyderabad, the "Silicon Valley" of India. The campus encompasses 660,000 sf and is located on 250 acres. Each classroom will be fully wired, with a computer and video conferencing capability at each desk. The communications network will be set up to ensure instant global connectivity. The school will accommodate a large number of formal and informal break-out space. John Portman & Associates designed the school, which will be the first fully air conditioned school in India.

Northwestern University has awarded the Chicago office of Turner Construction Company a $25.9-million contract for the construction of the 86,0000-sf Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly. The new, four-story plus basement chemistry lab building will house 16 labs, faculty and graduate student offices, conference rooms, and support spaces. The project scope includes laboratory casework, fume hoods, lab equipment, and extensive M/E/P systems and temperature controls required to support the lab environments.

Duke University opened its new $200-million Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy research center in late November 2000. The institute’s mission is to develop applications of genomic research through the work of a multidisciplinary consortium of scientists, engineers, physicians, lawyers and ethicists. Five centers will comprise the institute: the Center for Human Genetics; the Center for Human Disease Models; the Center for Genome Technology; the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology; and the Center for Ethics, Law, and Policy.

Georgia Tech's College of Architecture Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) will create the Information Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center. In a five-year program, the CRT will provide design expertise to major technology manufacturers so that computers and telecommunication technologies may be more easily used by persons with disabilities. The Training Center is the result of a $7.5-million federal grant awarded in September 2000 to Georgia Tech by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

The University of Maryland recently launched eDorm—an electronic dormitory in Garrett Hall designed and equipped by Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Avaya (formerly the Enterprise Networks Group of Lucent Technologies) that houses 21 undergraduate students participating in the university’s Hinman Campus Entrepreneurship Opportunities (CEO’s) Program. EDorm gives students in the CEOs Program easy access to communications technologies to build their own businesses, such as desktop videoconferencing, multimedia messaging, high-speed data connections, voice over the Internet, and wireless roaming.

Southwest Texas State University has entered into a partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to create an aquatic research center—the Texas Rivers Center—at the university’s Aquarena Center. The $16-million facility will focus on public awareness of aquatic ecology and serve as the center for research on protecting and restoring the former Aquarena Springs resort property’s archaeology and history. Construction is slated to start in summer 2001.

University of Connecticut (UConn) broke ground in October on Rentschler Field, a $90-million state-funded project aimed at revitalizing the Hartford area and elevating the UConn football program to national status. The 40,000-seat football stadium will serve as home field for UConn Football as well as other sports and entertainment events. The facility will occupy 8.5 acres of the 75-acre site contributed by Hartford-based United Technologies.

Bucknell University has selected Ewing Cole Cherry Brott of Philadelphia to design the University’s new recreation and athletics center. The project includes a sports Hall of Fame, 4,000-seat multipurpose gymnasium with a new student fitness center, natatorium, coaches’ offices, varsity locker facilities, and renovations to the original gymnasium and natatorium. Bucknell’s new facility will connect with the existing athletic center. Construction of the athletic facility began in late November 2000 with completion in the fall of 2002.

Concordia University recently broke ground on the Walter and Maxine Christopher Center for Learning and Leadership, a 83,000-sf three-story structure designed by Holabird & Root of Chicago. The center will provide a setting for modeling ideal teaching environments and promoting the highest standards of quality care for young children.