August 31, 2009

The changing face of campus: New buildings, construction dot the landscape this fall

Wayne T. and Mary T. Hockmeyer
Hall of Structural Biology 

Construction, repair and upgrades played big roles this summer on the West Lafayette campus. Several big projects continued, as did the High Voltage Project. The restoration of some financing for repair and rehabilitation enabled a large number of projects of various sizes and kinds.

Major construction

Here are summaries of some of the current and recent large projects:

Roger B. Gatewood Wing: Construction on this 41,000-square-foot expansion of the Mechanical Engineering Building began this spring. The $33 million building is to be completed by fall 2011. It will be Purdue's first facility with LEED certification for environmental standards.

Hillenbrand Dining Court: Renovation work to create an open, contemporary space within Hillenbrand Residence Hall's dining court wrapped up in July, and it reopened Aug. 13. The renovations were the final piece of University Residences' consolidation of 11 cafeteria-style dining rooms to five architecturally distinct dining courts. The other courts are Earhart, Ford, Wiley and Windsor.

Duhme Hall: As part of Windsor Halls' modernization, an $11.3 million renovation at this residence hall included fire and accessibility upgrades; replacement of all plumbing, electrical and heating systems; and addition of air conditioning. Final touches such as carpeting in general spaces are being completed, but students were able to move in for this semester.

Wayne T. and Mary T. Hockmeyer Hall of Structural Biology: This $30 million, 65,690-square-foot building soon will provide a new home to Purdue's world-renowned Center for Structural Biology research group. The group is housed in the basement of Lilly Hall. Ground was broken Oct. 19, 2007. The building, which is just east of Martin Jischke Drive at Harrison Street, is to be finished this fall.

Discovery Learning Center: This building, also to be completed this fall, will house the center of the same name, which has been operating since March 2003. Ground was broken Sept. 21, 2006, on what was expected to be a $10 million, 20,000-square-foot project. However, in May 2007 the Board of Trustees increased the project budget to $25 million to add space for the Mann Institute and other centers. The building is in Discovery Park west of Martin Jischke Drive at Harrison Street.

Mackey Arena Project: This unique $99.5 million project will upgrade fan facilities and provide vastly more space for teams and programs. Ground was broken March 16, 2009. The project will continue except during basketball seasons and is slated for completion before the 2011-12 season. More is at www.purduesports.com.

Niswonger Aviation Technology Building: This $6.6 million project at the Purdue University Airport was completed this summer. The 18,200-square-foot building improves learning options for students seeking aviation careers.

 This $52 million residence hall was completed in early August and has 365 single rooms. Construction began in June 2007. More is at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2009b/090803FrazeeTowers.html

Repair and rehabilitation

On the R&R front, "we have had about $24 million in projects this summer," says Keith Moore, senior R&R and data program manager. "Most were completed or near completion when school started."

More about the general R&R funding situation is at www.purdue.edu/physicalfacilities/RR.php

About $9.5 million in R&R projects being completed this summer, Moore says, was in these categories:

* HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) for various buildings: $2.6 million.

* Infrastructure — steam, sidewalk, water: $1.3 million.

* Laboratories in Brown, Heine, Veterinary Pathology: $1.1 million.

* Roofing for various buildings: $0.85 million.

* Foundation and masonry water proofing for various buildings: $2.8 million.

Longer-term R&R projects are HVAC in Wetherill Laboratory ($6 million), laboratory work in Lilly Hall ($7.2 million) and laboratory work in Lynn Hall ($1 million).

Another is the $6 million recladding project at 46-year-old Young Hall, designed to stop a long history of water leakage. The problem has defied other attempted solutions. Completion in October is expected.