Photo Dawn Madura• dmadura@mscd.edu

Ken Keller, Interim Associate Dean of the School of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, shows a storage room in the Science Building packed with boxes and equipment. The Science building is in need of more storage, office and classroom space.

   In order to address issues such as a lack of space and antiquated electrical and mechanical systems, a plan for a proposed $65.4 million to renovate and expand parts of the Science Building is in the final stage of the approval process.
   “ We currently lack adequate space for instruments and have no space for undergraduate research,” said Charles Tindall, chair of Metro’s Chemistry Department. “We also have a critical lack of faculty office space, tutoring space and part-time faculty office space. We also have a shortage of classrooms.”
   The “Facilities Improvement Plan,” states that both teaching and research labs in the Science Building are occupying obsolete space, have outdated equipment and are not being properly ventilated. The building cannot support the required technology that is quickly becoming the future of scientific research and education.
   According to the plan, students are graduating high schools that better utilize computers and technology and are unable to find the same or higher standards on the Auraria Campus. The old electrical/mechanical systems in the existing building are unable to support the required laboratory and computer needs of the programs.
   In addition, many of the science programs are divided, located in different buildings, and in some cases are isolated from other, closely related science programs.
   The main goals of the plan put together by the Auraria Higher Education Center, are to create a large enough facility to house, in one building, all of the science programs from all three schools, as well as to solve the current space problem that exists in the Science Building.
   “ Unfortunately, current academic programs are being run inefficiently because of space requirements,” the plan stated. “This program plan addresses the existing quantity, quality and obsolescence of space needs, as well as addresses the critical future path for all three institutions.”
   The Science Building currently houses UCD’s Chemistry and Biology programs and Metro’s Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Geology and Math departments, as well as the office of the Dean of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
   AHEC’s project would move UCD’s Anthropology and the rest of the Biology and Chemistry programs from the North Classroom into the new Science Building. Metro would move its Health Professions program from the South Classroom, and CCD would move its Science program from the South Classroom to the new Science Building. All of the existing programs in the Science Building would stay, but would receive an adequate amount of space, according to AHEC’s plan.
   “ By bringing all of the science programs from all three institutions together physically, the possibilities are limitless for future teaching collaboration, research and learning,” AHEC’s plan states.
   AHEC’s project will require about 184,854 assignable square feet (ASF). The campus will use 75,463 ASF of current facilities requiring an extra 102,338 ASF. According to the plan, this translates to 181,854 gross square feet (GSF). The project will cost about $65.44 million. This figure was based upon estimated construction costs in 2004.
The proposed project would completely renovate the Science Building and also add three additions that wrap the existing structure.
   According to the plan, the existing Science Building would be renovated into dry lab, classroom space and offices. The renovation would also reuse the restroom locations and preserve the lecture hall to reduce costs.
   AHEC’s plan states that one of the new additions would be four floors and the smaller addition would be a five-story tower element. The main concept of the new additions is to place as many of the laboratory spaces that require advanced mechanical and electrical systems in them, because modern laboratories require more extensive systems and it would be to expensive to attempt to make the existing building capable of handling these systems.
   “ Two of the new additions are primarily laboratory and support spaces and the third addition is mostly stacked offices and classrooms,” the plan states.
   The new laboratories would be state-of-the-art, with modern laboratory design and proper ventilation systems, according to AHEC’s proposed plan.
   A double-skin up to the roof level would be created and built around the two black, metal-clad mechanical towers on the exterior of the existing building. This would enable both supply and exhaust air to reach the outside.
   The towers in the new interior would frame a student gathering area. This space would be three stories high and lit with a significant amount of daylight. Overlooking this space would be a floating conference tower, classrooms, offices and laboratories.
   “ It will be a dynamic meeting place for students, faculty and staff,” the plan states.
   The project budget also entails all new equipment and furnishings to replace the existing furniture and equipment in the Science Building, which, in some cases, are older than the building itself.
   In regard to program adjacencies, the plan would place UCD programs on the north edge of the building, across from the North Classroom. Metro programs would be on the east side of the building. All like programs would share floors and be next to their sister schools’ programs. Departments requiring daily access for deliveries would be placed on the lowest level of the building.
   The project would impact many facilities on campus. Most of the work, however, would occur in and around the Science Building, on the west side of Speer Boulevard, east of the library and between the Lawrence Street pedestrian way and Arapahoe Street, according to the proposed plan.
   The plan was approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and is now awaiting approval from a capital development committee of Colorado legislators, said Dick Feuerborn, assistant to Dean Wolf, executive vice president of administration. According to Feuerborn, the committee’s decision should be released by May 2006.
   “ The proposed building expansion and renovation is essential to all the science programs in this (Science) building,” Tindall said.