Construction of the Biology Laboratory Building

Facilities Management discusses Construction of the Biology Laboratory Building:

The construction phase for the new Biology Laboratory Building will begin June 13, 2016.  The Biology Laboratory Building will be a four story building that provides approximately 57,230 assignable square feet (97,049 gross square feet) of new space; which will house General Instruction Space with a 76-seat Lecture Hall, a 30-seat Foundations of Science/Meeting Room and Tutoring/Study areas. The Teaching Labs will accommodate six 24-seat Upper Level/Graduate Labs, one 18-seat Upper Level Microbiology Lab, three 24-seat Freshman Labs and one 18-seat Pre-Nursing Microbiology Lab. Additionally, there are nine prep/storage areas in support of the teaching labs, thirty Faculty Research Labs, shared equipment spaces, five shared core facilities in support of the research labs, Collections, Herbarium Collection and prep space. The eastern section of the building will house the Department Administrative Suite, Faculty Offices, and the Building Entry/Commons. This will allow a complete consolidation of the Department of Biological Sciences into one single facility.

The Biology Laboratory Building will be located along the south side of Bowers Boulevard between Avenue I & Avenue J. All remaining parking from Bowers Boulevard to the South Residential Complex will be closed. We are anticipating to have a near equal amount of parking spaces in the area of the South Dining and the Pirkle Building construction site available in the fall of 2016. Plans include closing Bowers Boulevard and converting the space into a pedestrian mall, rain garden and outside teaching environment. The building site is currently occupied by Parkhill, Barrett, Adams and Allen which are now closed and will be demolished to make way for the new Biology Laboratory Building.

The budget for this project is $65 million. Demolition activity is scheduled to begin on or about June 27, and the building is estimated to be substantially completed by May 10, 2018. The architect-contractor team is composed of HDR of Houston, Texas and Vaughn Construction Company of Houston, Texas.

In short:

• Hello to new Biology Laboratory Building.
• Goodbye to Adams, Allen, Barrett, and Parkhill Houses (you served your campus well).
• Hello to pedestrian mall.
• Good riddence to the crazy off-centered intersection of Avenue I and Bowers Boulevard.