April 8, 2005

Trustees approve renovation plans, construction contracts

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's Board of Trustees today (Friday, April 8) approved the planning and construction of several campus projects, including the ongoing renovation of the oldest building on the Calumet campus.

The trustees approved hiring BSA LifeStructures of Indianapolis to plan a $24 million renovation to the Millard Gyte Science Building at Purdue Calumet. The building, named for the regional campus' first director, was built in 1950 and expanded in 1961.

The phase II renovation will upgrade classrooms and mechanical, electrical and air handling systems in more than 75 percent of the building. Funding for the renovation is part of a capital request before the Indiana General Assembly, but Wayne Kjonaas, vice president for physical facilities, said the university will begin immediately by committing up to $1 million annually to the project because of the urgent need for improved classroom and laboratory space. The full project will move forward after state funding is approved.

The university spent $5.4 million in 2002 for phase I renovations to the facility.

The trustees also approved construction contracts from Kettlehut Construction of Lafayette for the first phase of renovations to the original portion of Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering. The replacement and upgrading of various systems will cost $4.75 million and will be paid for from donations to Purdue.

In other business, the trustees:

• Hired Fish Pro of Springfield, Ill., to plan the replacement structure for the Aquaculture Building, near Montmorenci, Ind. The facility was destroyed by fire in November. The replacement building is estimated to cost $2.2 million and will be paid for from the fire insurance settlement.

• Hired Kettlehut Construction to extend campus utilities to the Lawson Hall of Computer Science, currently under construction at Third and University streets. The project is budgeted at $2.6 million.

• Approved a $1.4 million project to replace taxiways and repair airfield lighting at Purdue Airport. Funds from the Federal Aviation Administration will cover 95 percent of the project cost. The remainder will come from state and airports funds.

• Hired J.R. Kelly Co. of Lafayette to build loading docks and service access areas for the Birck Nanotechnology and the Bindley Bioscience centers in Discovery Park. The project is budgeted at $1.17 million.

• Hired Mid-States General and Mechanical Contracting of Lafayette to renovate the second-floor dining room in Harrison residence hall to create a food service operation called Boiler Connection. The project is budgeted at $1 million and will be funded through University Residences, which is self-supporting.

• Hired Maregatti Interiors of Indianapolis to plan office renovations on the third floor of Hovde Hall. The renovations will include space for the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. The project is budgeted at $780,000.

• Hired Huston Electric Inc. of Lafayette to install a new fire alarm system in the Purdue Memorial Union. The project is budgeted at $637,000.

Writer: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371, jmwillis@purdue.edu

Source: Wayne Kjonaas, (765) 494-8000, wwkjonaas@purdue.edu

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

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