Purdue News

June 4, 2004

Purdue trustees approve construction contracts for biomed, Cary

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (June 4) awarded the construction contracts for a new biomedical engineering building and approved finance and construction of the final phases of Cary Quadrangle's renovation.

The board also approved the employment of an Indianapolis architectural firm to design new on-campus apartments at the West Lafayette campus as a first step to replace the Hilltop Apartments, which are scheduled to be phased out beginning in 2008.

During a meeting at the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne campus, the board awarded a $19.4 million construction contract to Kettlehut Construction Inc., Lafayette, to build a new biomedical engineering building. Purdue issued bonds to cover $13 million of the project's $25 million cost. The remaining $12 million came from private sources, including $5 million from the Whitaker Foundation. The biomedical engineering building – the first at any public institution in Indiana – will enable Purdue to expand the current Department of Biomedical Engineering into a full-fledged school.

The first undergraduate biomedical engineering class will begin as sophomores in the fall semester, and the graduate program will be expanded. About 20 full-time faculty members will be added to the department's current six faculty.

"These capital investments will allow us to provide better service to our students more efficiently," said Kenneth P. Burns, executive vice president and treasurer. "Keeping our campus up-to-date with state-of-the-art facilities and modern infrastructure is also important for our research efforts that benefit both the state of Indiana and society in general."

The trustees also approved hiring Kettlehut Construction Inc. for $15.4 million to construct phases V and VI of the Cary Quadrangle renovation. This work represents the final phases of the $55 million, six-year plan to renovate Cary Quad, a five-building complex. When work is complete, Cary Quad's housing capacity will be 1,135 students, down from its original 1,540 residents.

The $40 million facility that will replace the Hilltop Apartments will be built on what is now the Fowler Courts parking lot on the north side of State Street across from Discovery Park. The board approved hiring Ratio Architects Inc., Indianapolis, to design the facility. Scheduled to be completed for the fall 2007 semester, the new apartments will provide approximately 700 student bed spaces, a community-administration center and a parking lot. There are currently 818 bed spaces at the Hilltop Apartments I and II. The 170 bed spaces at Hilltop III will continue in use.

John Sautter, vice president for housing and food services, said the aim is to replace and upgrade apartments and not to add more on-campus residences.

"We've lost 400 beds in the Cary Quad project and another 800 beds in Young Graduate House, which has been converted into faculty and staff offices," Sautter said. "Because there are so many apartments available in the community, by 2011-12 we will be operating with 2,000 fewer beds on campus than we had in 2000-01."

The board also approved hiring Scholer Corp., Lafayette, as architects and engineers to continue the residence hall food consolidation project at Wiley Hall Dining Court, with a total estimated project budget of $12.4 million. The board also approved hiring architecture and engineering firm A2S04, Indianapolis, to plan the renovation of Harrison Hall kitchen, which will be converted into a retail food service.

The trustees also approved finance and construction of the following infrastructure improvements:

– $2 million to reroute water, gas, storm sewer and high-voltage electrical equipment at Stadium Mall Drive and Northwestern Avenue once the Creative Arts Buildings are razed. A steam tunnel, chilled water and sewer connection will be extended to the site where the new Millennium Engineering Building will be constructed.

– $1 million to finance and construct electrical infrastructure to support campus electrical load growth.

– $1.1 million for the installation of new chiller equipment in the existing satellite plant to provide additional heating and cooling capacity

The trustees also approved naming the university's new indoor golf training center the Tom Spurgeon Golf Training Center after the alumnus who was the lead donor. The naming was announced at the facility groundbreaking last month.

In other action, the trustees granted power of attorney for real estate to the executrix of the estate of Marilyn L. Miles, a 1943 Purdue alumna. The board's approval permits the estate to sell property in Union County, N.C., with an estimated value of $150,000. Purdue was bequeathed a one-quarter share of the property.

Finally, the trustees approved a land swap between Southeast-Purdue Agricultural Center and the state of Indiana. Purdue's 140 acres in Jennings County will be exchanged for land that includes the grounds of the Muscatatuck State Development Center, located to the north of SEPAC. The former Purdue land will be used for development of an industrial park.

Writer: Mike Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue.edu

Sources: Ken Burns, (765) 494-9705, kpburns@purdue.edu

John Sautter, (765) 494-1022, jasautter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Purdue and state swap land to bring jobs to Jennings County

To the Purdue News and Photos Page