Campus Renovation
Ohio State University announced last week that it is partnering with private, nonprofit applied science and technology development company Battelle and Metro Schools to reopen a former middle school as a STEM-focused middle and high school.
Campus Renovations
Spalding University in Louisville, Ky., recently announced that it will undertake $7 million in renovations to a former V.V. Cooke Chevrolet dealership to create a home for its new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Construction is scheduled to be complete in late 2021, and the renovations mark one of the largest capital projects in the university’s history.
COVID-19 and Schools
Industrial light fixture solutions company Kenall has announced that its Indigo-Clean technology has been proven in independent lab testing to safely kill 94 percent of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza-A.
Campus Technology
K–12 school districts and service providers throughout the country have stepped up heroically to try and facilitate remote learning during the pandemic. And despite hardships, giving teachers access to online learning platforms for creating and organizing lesson plans has begun opening the door to new pedagogies and innovative software tools that improve learning outcomes both in and out of the classroom.
New Construction
Harvard University recently saw construction finish on its new Science and Engineering Complex (SEC), located across the Charles River from its main campus in Cambridge, Mass. The complex, designed by Behnisch Architekten, is set to open to students in fall 2021.
New Construction
Jarrett Middle School, an existing member of Springfield Public Schools whose new campus is currently under construction in Springfield, Mo., could be designated as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) academy by the time it opens.
COVID-19 and Schools
The Allen Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, has announced that it will not offer virtual learning opportunities for the 2021-22 academic year. Superintendent Robin Bullock sent a district-wide email on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 4, announcing the district’s plans for the upcoming year.
Campus Facilities
EXTECH/Exterior Technologies, Inc. has provided skylight systems for the new Spring Hill School middle school campus in Sonoma County, Petaluma, Calif. The campus opened its doors to students for the first time for the 2019-20 school year.
New Construction
In Spokane, Wash., the final structural beam was placed in the facility that will become the medical and health education, research and innovation center for the University of Washington School of Medicine–Gonzaga University Health Partnership. The laying of this last piece is a construction milestone known as “topping off,” and representatives of the two schools gathered to celebrate.
Campus Sustainability
At Rice University in Houston, Texas, the Betty and Jacob Friedman Holistic Garden recently received a solar upgrade and other improvements courtesy of the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.
New Construction
This week, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approved the design phase for the construction of a new building for the UK College of Medicine. According to a press release, the facility will include about 380,000 square feet of classrooms, conference rooms, simulation suites, office space, and support space.
Campus Infrastructure
The State University of New York College at Cortland (SUNY Cortland) in Cortland, N.Y., is in the process of replacing decades-old outdoor lampposts around campus. Phase I of the three-phase project is scheduled for completion by the end of the summer, and the entire project should be done by fall 2022.
Campus Amenities
As students come back to new and improved classrooms, STEM learning will become paramount in learning experience design. School shutdowns have hit science classes hard and may lead to widening achievement gaps in STEM fields. As institutions of learning reopen, science, computer and innovation labs should be the pillars of infrastructure improvements.
Campus Amenities
Commercial flooring solutions company Mohawk Group has announced the release of its Data Tide collection, a variety of modular carpet planks with a design evoking the visualization of water.
COVID-19 and Schools
Late last month, eight second-grade students from a single classroom at Penn Valley Elementary School in the Lower Merion School District near Philadelphia, Pa., tested positive for coronavirus. Because of the number of students affected, staff conducted an investigation and discovered a potential cause for the spread.
Technology
Education technology solutions providers Trox and Tierney announced recently that the two companies will merge to form Trox + Tierney. Combined, the two organizations bring 80+ years of experience and more than 750 skilled employees to the market.
Campus Renovations
Renovations to the Moody Coliseum on the campus of Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, resulted in a small fire on Tuesday night. The Abilene Fire Department responded to the call at about 10:30 p.m. and extinguished the flames without incident.
Campus Housing
Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., will begin construction this week on a housing development for graduate and professional students. Construction was originally slated to begin in summer 2020 but was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Campus Construction
One of the oldest buildings on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn., was demolished to make room for a new construction project in progress. Alumni Hall, a sports arena that played home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams and also served as a concert venue, came down in preparation for a new Arena and Convention Center.
Industry News
Gopinath “Gopi” Akalkotkar has joined VLK Architects as its new principal. VLK offers architecture, planning and interior design services to K-12 and higher education institutions (and other sectors) in Texas. According to VLK, “Akalkotkar will be responsible for leading VLK’s efforts in San Antonio and the South Texas market.”