$21.4 million project creates new research and classroom space
When students return to classes today for the spring semester, they might not recognize their old classrooms. Years in the making, the Chemistry Annex renovations are complete.
The ambitious project included a complete renovation and construction of a 9,600-square-foot addition to the building on the southeast corner of the building along Mathews Avenue. All told, the addition and renovation provide a total of 52,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratory and instructional space.
“The driving force in the remodeling process was the labs, and really making sure we had state-of-the-art labs where students could start to learn the chemistry and get use to instrumentation and we could start teaching in more modern fashions,” said Christian Ray, director of general chemistry.
The $21.4 million renovation provides transformative learning spaces for future education and research. The Academic Facilities Maintenance Fund Assessment, which comes from a $300-per-semester student fee, and institutional funds—composed primarily of money set aside from federal grants for overhead costs—have been instrumental to the success of the project. Private donations were also used for other upgrades.