College one step closer to science building

The College is a $22 million step closer to making the idea of a new science center a reality. Recently, the efforts were recognized when Governor Deval Patrick filed a capital bond bill for public higher education, noting the science center as the College's top priority and allotting $22 million for the project. The bond bill benefits state and community colleges, as well as the University of Massachusetts system, aiding in a total of 24 campuses across the commonwealth. In the bill, Governor Patrick included $2 billion for recommended projects, to be approved or denied by the state's legislature. The College is working with an architectural firm, Goody Clancy, hired to help with the Master Plan, who proposed several options as to where to put the new addition. The project, as it is currently proposed, includes an addition to Bowman Hall, according to Vice President James Stakenas. "As it is proposed, the project is 28,000 feet of new space, plus the complete renovation of Bowman Hall," said Stakenas. "The footprint is about the size of the Venable Gym; picture that only three stories high rather than two." Where exactly will this proposed addition go? As Stakenas described and sketched out on a piece of paper, the 28,000 foot addition would go on the south end of Bowman Hall, or the "Campus Center side." "The architectural firm said putting [the addition] there would leave green space, and connect to the student housing [townhouse units]," said Stakenas. "Our [science] facilities right now are poor. New facilities would draw in more new students to learn the sciences," said Stakenas. Original suggestions from Goody Clancy included an addition to Mark Hopkins Hall, but that did not sit well with the College. "They proposed sites for free-standing buildings, one was Mark Hopkins. But that is designated for the English and Education departments, which are large and we have no other place for them," said Stakenas. "There is no sense to attach the science center there, so we went back to the drawing board." If all goes right with the addition to Bowman Hall, the Biology and Environmental studies labs in Venable Hall will move over to the new science center. It is also proposed the Art studios in Bowman could then be moved to the free space in Venable, bringing more unity to the Fine and Performing Arts department, as the performing arts already reside in Venable. At this point in time, it is speculated that $22 million is not enough to undertake the project. According to Stakenas, "The $22 million is the state's commitment to the project. We don't know the exact cost yet and it will be a vigorous task to figure that out." On Oct. 18, the College held a Master Plan meeting in Murdock Hall to discuss the Bond Bill and what it meant for the future plans. "Ultimately, every building on campus needs work, but the science center was recognized in the Capital Bond Bill as a top priority."

No time frame is available yet for the start or completion. The Bond Bill has been submitted to the Legislature for approval. Once they pass the bill, a schedule will be made. Then a full Feasibility Study will be most likely be done by the state to determine if the project construction will take place at the site of Bowman Hall.

"We are delighted and have worked hard to have it recognized as our top priority. We are very eager for the legislature to complete their approval so we can get started," said Stakenas.