Purdue Trustees approve capital plan

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue’s Board of Trustees on Friday (June 15) reviewed and approved the university’s 10-year capital plan and the legislative capital project request for the 2019-21 biennium.

Developed pursuant to Purdue’s strategic initiatives, the 10-year capital plan prioritizes facility needs for the near, mid- and long term. The biennial plan, which will be submitted to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and the State Budget Committee, requests $79 million in state funding to be leveraged with other funding for three priority projects at West Lafayette, Purdue Northwest and Purdue Fort Wayne.

“Our approach to both the near-term legislative request and the 10-year plan is to renew facilities through renovation and replacement and to leverage private, public and institutional partnerships to achieve our goals," said Michael B. Cline, Purdue vice president for administrative operations. "All of this is viewed through the lens of our strategic objectives, which include considerations for the Purdue Moves, our institutional strategic plan; and Ever True: the Campaign for Purdue University. We continue to operate under the core principles of renovate when feasible, replace existing facilities when appropriate and add new space only if necessary."

Projects included in the near-term legislative capital request are:

*Engineering and Polytechnic Gateway, Phase I at West Lafayette. The project is the first of a two-phase project to demolish the current Nuclear Engineering and Michael Golden Laboratories and construct new facilities to serve both the College of Engineering and the Purdue Polytechnic Institute with project-based instructional laboratories, design studios and collaborative spaces. The facility will provide space for nuclear engineering, engineering technology, environmental and ecological engineering, engineering education and construction management technology. The projected cost is $80 million with $60 million requested from the state. Construction is expected to begin in 2020 with completion in 2022-23.

* South Campus renovations, Phase II at Purdue Fort Wayne. This project would complete the renovation of Helmke Library and Kettler Hall at PFW, with upgraded classrooms and teaching labs, modern elevators and public areas, and replacement mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems that are failing. The project cost of $10 million is requested from the state. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2020 with completion in fall/winter 2020.

* Chiller plant upgrade and chilled water line replacement at Purdue Northwest. The project calls for replacement of the existing cooling tower and an additional chiller for increased capacity on the Westville campus, and replacing the existing chilled water main on the Hammond campus. The project cost of $9 million is requested from the state. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2020 with completion in summer 2021. 

Source: Michael B. Cline, mbcline@purdue.edu