June 20, 2008

Purdue plans upgrades for recreational sports center, housing at IPFW, science building at Calumet

The board also approved expansion of student housing on the Fort Wayne campus and planning for a new science building at Purdue Calumet. Earlier, trustees approved renovations to Young Hall, the Krannert building and a dining court on the West Lafayette campus, and a computer infrastructure upgrade at Calumet

The renovation and expansion of the Recreational Sports Center will enhance exercise space devoted to cardiovascular fitness, weight training, jogging, walking and group exercise. Racquetball courts, gyms and other facilities, including lockerrooms, common space and dining areas, will be improved.

Thomas B. Robinson, vice president for student services, said that when the center was built in 1957 it was the first university building in the nation created solely to serve students' recreational needs.

"Purdue remains committed to our students' health, fitness and overall well-being," Robinson said. "Reinvesting in the center will allow us to improve the quality of the center's programming and increase space per student."

The trustees authorized an estimated $6.5 million design contract with architects Moody Nolan Inc. of Indianapolis. The recreation center project will be funded with $3 million in gifts with the remainder coming from bond proceeds to be repaid with a student fee assessment. The proposed fee for students has yet to be determined but will not be collected until after students are being served by building improvements. The funding plan will be presented for approval to the 2009 Indiana General Assembly.

Construction of an emerging technologies building will create a home for several Purdue Calumet centers, institutes and affiliated laboratories. The $28.9 million project will include new offices and laboratories for the biological science department.

"This building will greatly increase our research and teaching capabilities, as well as our commitment to economic development within northwest Indiana," said Ken Johnston, vice chancellor for administrative services. "The project underlines Purdue Calumet's strategic vision to provide an environment conducive to advancing success and excellence."

The new building also will house the schools of education and nursing, currently located in the Gyte Annex. The trustees approved contracting Schmidt Associates of Indianapolis to design the building, which will be funded by fee replacement bond proceeds. The majority of that funding will need to be approved by the Legislature in 2009.

The third phase of the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne student housing complex will add up to 448 beds.

"Additional on-campus housing will increase the diversity and vitality of student life on campus," said Chancellor Michael A. Wartell. "It also will help the university attract and retain high-caliber students."

The $38 million project may also provide new commons facilities, a service and maintenance building, open recreation space, access drives, and additional parking. The expansion, scheduled to be complete by fall 2010, will be funded by student facilities system revenue bond proceeds.

On Thursday (June 19) the trustees' Physical Facilities Committee approved awarding a $6 million design/build contract to Indianapolis-based Pepper Construction Co. of Indiana to replace the facade on the east and west sides of Young Hall. Joseph Mikesell, interim vice president for physical facilities, said the design/build process allows a single firm to both design and build a project, saving time and money.

"All previous attempts to fix the facade's chronic leaking problems have had only temporary impact," Mikesell said. "The design/build process will help ensure that the project is cost effective, aesthetically pleasing and has minimal impact on building occupants."

Construction, scheduled to begin in July and be complete by next March, will be funded by repair and rehabilitation bond proceeds.

"Repair and rehabilitation bonds were an innovative new approach authorized in 2005 by the Indiana General Assembly, providing an important tool to address Purdue's substantial deferred repairs backlog," said Morgan R. Olsen, Purdue executive vice president and treasurer. "These bonds will be repaid primarily with the proceeds from a student repair and rehabilitation fee approved by the board of trustees for this purpose."

The committee also took the following actions:

* Approved renovation of the third floor of the Krannert Building to house the Steve A. Webster Undergraduate Programs Office. The $3.5 million project will be funded with gifts.

* Approved renovation of the Hillenbrand Hall Dining Court. The $3.2 million project will modernize the 1993 facility to bring it more on par with dining courts constructed in the past five years. Construction will be paid for from University Residences repair and rehabilitation funds.

* Approved planning for a new data center power feed at Calumet to support high-performance computing. The $3.6 million project, funded by a federal grant, also will include new cooling systems for computing equipment.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Sources: Thomas Robinson, (765) 494-5776, trobinson@purdue.edu

Ken Johnston, (219) 989-2234, johnston@calumet.purdue.edu

Michael Wartell, (260) 481-6103, wartell@ipfw.edu

Joe Mikesell, (765) 494-7327, jdmikesell@purdue.edu

Morgan R. Olsen, (765) 494-9705, mrolsen@purdue.edu

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

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