Trustees approve several development, facilities actions

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University trustees on Friday (Aug. 26) requested the Purdue Research Foundation's (PRF) assistance to develop the Purdue Innovation District and approved land exchanges with the foundation to facilitate development of the Innovation District and Aerospace Technology Park.

The Board of Trustees also approved a revised resolution to plan and rename a facility at Purdue University Northwest-Calumet and moved forward on four projects on the West Lafayette campus.

Under one resolution, PRF is asked to proceed with the overall development of the Innovation District, including the planning and procurement of projects to be located there. This resolution also approved a memorandum of understanding between the university and PRF that describes the manner in which they will communicate, coordinate and collaborate on the Innovation District development.

"The Purdue Innovation District is a long-term project that will transform the west side of the Purdue campus. We are fully prepared to advance this critical project and see it to fruition," said Brian Edelman, COO of the Purdue Research Foundation. "This is truly a collaborative project among the foundation, the university, Browning, West Lafayette and our surrounding community with a goal of enriching the lives of the students who attend Purdue University and the residents who live in the surrounding area."

"The foundation has partnered with Browning Investments LLC to develop this area, located on the west end of campus," said Michael B. Cline, vice president for physical facilities. "Overall, this potentially represents a total development investment of more than $1 billion to create an environment that addresses the educational, economic and cultural needs of the university and community. Since PRF is undertaking this effort as part of its mission of support to the university, it was important to set up the framework for our collaboration and delineate PRF's role."

Enabled largely by the State Street Redevelopment Project, development of the Innovation District is expected to begin late this year or early 2017.

Related to the Innovation District, trustees also approved a real estate parcel exchange with PRF. The university will receive PRF properties in the "Purdue Island" and "Western Lands," while PRF will receive approximately 68 acres, designated as the "Purdue Village Land," located near the southeast corner of State Street and Airport Road.

The exchange would facilitate the planning and construction of an apartment housing project in the Purdue Village area that would provide housing for about 800 residents and potentially incorporate street-level retail space, restaurant space and flex work areas.

Board members also approved a second parcel swap through which the university will acquire property along Tower Drive that includes the water tower in exchange for university-owned parcels on the western edge of campus and north of the Purdue Airport. This exchange would further consolidate university holdings near campus and facilitate ongoing development of the 980-acre aerospace park.

Trustees also revised a resolution to plan a facility on the Purdue University Northwest-Calumet campus and to rename it from the Emerging Technologies Building to the Bioscience Innovation Building. In 2008 trustees originally approved using fee replacement bond proceeds to begin planning; however, in its 2015 session, the General Assembly provided a $2.4 million cash appropriation to fund the planning of the $40.5 million project.

The renaming of the Bioscience Innovation Building better reflects intended uses for the facility, which will be home to the College of Nursing, Department of Biological Sciences and shared instructional spaces, and the design will facilitate technology-assisted learning, applied research and professional community outreach.

"This project addresses several facility challenges and will replace outdated labs with state-of-the-art facilities," said Thomas Keon, Purdue Northwest chancellor. "It also will provide the kind of quality space needed to educate and prepare students for careers in nursing and the life sciences.

The Physical Facilities Committee also granted approval to plan, finance, construct and award construction contracts for the following projects:

* Renovations to Earhart Hall bathrooms. The project is the sixth of nine planned phases to renovate University Residences' H-Hall bathrooms. This $5 million phase will complete renovations on floors one through eight of the hall's west tower by replacing original plumbing infrastructure and reconfiguring restrooms to provide ADA accessibility, improve privacy, provide larger restrooms and more showers, and update appearance. Construction is scheduled to begin in May 2017 and be complete in August 2017. The project will be paid for with departmental funds.

* Enhancement of ADA accommodations in Owen Hall. The $2.2 million project will create ADA-accessible public restrooms, add an elevator to provide access to both floors of the central building and construct a grade-level building entrance. When complete, the project will improve public accessibility and enhance programming by ensuring all residents and guests have full access. The work is scheduled to begin in February 2017 and be complete in August 2017 and will be financed through departmental funds.

* Improvements at the Feldun Purdue Agricultural Center in Bedford, Indiana. The $2.3 million project includes construction of a 7,246-square-foot shop and office building, construction of a hoop structure for manure storage and improvements to the utility infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2017 and be complete in February 2018 and will be financed with departmental funds. The Feldun Purdue Agricultural Center is located on approximately 880 acres and serves as an agricultural farm and research facility to grow corn, soybeans, wheat and hay and to raise cattle. The center also is home to the Indiana Beef Evaluation Program.

* Utility and tunnel infrastructure repairs. The $2.49 million project will repair utility infrastructure in the southeast area of campus, install new chilled water lines and valves from Sheetz Street to South Grant Street, install new chilled and domestic water lines to serve Young Hall and upgrade steam service to Krannert Center and Rawls Hall. Work is scheduled to begin in May 2017 and be complete in August 2017 and will be financed through university infrastructure central reserve funds. 

Sources: Michael B. Cline, 765-494-8000

Thomas Keon, 219-989-2203, tkeon@purdue.edu

Brian Edelman, 765-588-1039, beedelman@prf.org