sealPurdue News
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February 14, 2003

Trustees OK $16 million food court, new data center, plan projects

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ‹ The Purdue University Board of Trustees today (Friday, 2/14) awarded contracts for a $16.3 million, 800-seat dining court on Stadium Avenue and a $1.6 million high-performance data visualization showcase in Stewart Center.

The board also approved hiring an architectural engineering firm to design a new tennis center and entered a contract to buy a flight training simulator for the Department of Aviation Technology.

The trustees also approved the continuation of ongoing fire and safety projects and agreed to plan for new renovation, repair and construction projects.

Kettlehut Construction Inc. of Lafayette was awarded the contract to build the 63,290-square-foot residence hall food service dining court between Cary Quadrangle and Owen Hall.

"It will be the only new, freestanding dining court facility in our multiphase food service consolidation project," said John Sautter, vice president of housing and food services.

The facility will be available to all students, faculty, staff and university guests.

The $16.3 million project is part of a $48 million food service plan, funded solely through savings and cost-efficiency measures. The renovated Earhart Hall Dining Court will begin serving next month.

Future Construction Inc. of Indianapolis will renovate 8,568 square feet to house Envision: A Center for Data Perceptualization in the former billiard room off the underground walkway connecting Stewart Center with the Memorial Union. The $1.6 million project will provide an interdisciplinary, high-performance visualization center with the newest technology in visualization computing.

Gary Bertoline, associate vice president for visualization data mining and research interaction and a professor of computer graphics technology, said visualization computing converts data to images, which aids understanding and conveys meaning.

The center will feature a virtual reality theater with seating for 40-50 people. The center's equipment includes high-resolution desktop monitors and an access grid for videoconferencing across the Internet.

Students and faculty will use the facility for instruction and active research projects. The center also can be used for presentations, research for papers or as a teaching aid.

The Stewart Center renovation project includes adding an elevator, an air-handling unit and a sprinkler system. The use of glass walls and partitions will allow visitors to see work areas from within the center and from an outside walkway.

The center is scheduled for completion this fall, said Wayne Kjonaas, vice president for physical facilities.

The trustees also approved hiring the architectural engineering firm CSO of Indianapolis to design the $6.5 million Dennis J. and Mary Lou Schwartz Tennis Center.

The center is named for lead donor Dennis Schwartz, an alumnus who has pledged $3 million toward building the 60,000-square-foot indoor facility in honor of his late wife. The center will be located west of the Boilermaker Aquatic Center.

The board approved a $1.8 million contract to buy a 737-800 flight training simulator from Spiral Aviation Training Co. of Denver for Purdue's professional flight technology program. The company is owned by Spiral Inc., a minority business in Chandler, Ariz.

The new simulator upgrade joins two existing large-jet flight training simulators, a 727-100 and a 727-200. The department also has six simulators for smaller single- or multi-engine planes. The simulator also can be rented by industry when it is not being used by students. The equipment will be paid for though aviation technology user fees and the general fund.

The trustees awarded contracts for work on Shreve Hall's student room air-conditioning project and the Hawkins Hall fire safety system project.

Quality Plumbing and Heating of Bunker Hill Inc., Bunker Hill, Ind., will install chilled water units and controls and upgrade distribution systems in Shreve Hall. The $2.1 million individual student room air-conditioning project also includes installing chilled water piping and fire protection sprinklers throughout the building. The fire alarm system also will be upgraded. This is the third and final phase of the project

Ryan Fireprotection Inc. of Noblesville, Ind., was awarded the contract to install a fire alarm and sprinkler system on five floors of Hawkins Hall's east wing in the $517,613 third phase of the ongoing project.

The trustees also approved plans to: finance a $4.2 million remodeling project on three floors at Young Hall to turn student residences into office space; spend $1.9 million to renovate the Sweet Shop in Purdue Memorial Union; plan an $891,000 renovation of a biochemistry laboratory; plan an $855,000 project to repair or replace the Purdue Armory's roof; and build a $479,000 athletic department maintenance facility.

HCO Inc. of Indianapolis will provide engineering and architectural services to remodel 52,600 square feet in Young Hall. The project on floors six to eight will include an updated telecommunication infrastructure, a new fire alarm system and additional sprinklers. Modifications for accessibility also will be made on the floors.

Scholer Corp. of Lafayette, Ind., will design and engineer the 4,969-square-foot Sweet Shop renovation project. The project includes relocating the serving area for safety and traffic flow. The project will replace an air handler and ductwork and install new floors, furnishings and electrical panels.

BSA Design of Indianapolis will design 4,585 square feet in the basement of the biochemistry building on University Street. The project will combine rooms to create a biochemistry research laboratory. Other room renovations will allow for an autoclave/dishwashing facility, common equipment labs and support facilities.

DLZ Indiana of Indianapolis will provide architectural and engineering services to repair the armory's roof. The project calls for removing, repairing or replacing the roof's decking. Additional insulation will be added and the clay tiles on the roof will be removed, stored and then reused.

HNTB Corp. of Indianapolis will design and engineer a 4,613-square-foot athletic maintenance facility. The new construction will house Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics' turf maintenance operation, which was displaced by Ross-Ade stadium renovations.

Writer: Grant Flora, (765) 494-2073, gflora@purdue.edu

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

John Sautter, (765) 494-1000

Kjonaas,vice president for physical facilities, (765) 494-8000, wkjonaas@purdue.edu

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


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