Penn State will build a second new residence hall and renovate two other buildings in the next phase of its long-term plan to improve the East Halls area at University Park.
The Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning on Thursday morning recommended approval of plans and funds for phase 1b of the project. The plan requires full board approval at Friday’s meeting.
A new 119,100-square-foot, seven-story building will be constructed along Curtin Road, in the area where a sand volleyball court is currently located. The building will have 413 beds, in mostly standard double rooms, and shared private bathrooms. It also will include an apartment for a residence life professional, common areas, a kitchen, quiet room, music practice room, laundry room and open lounges at the center of each upper floor.
McKean and Pennypacker halls will undergo significant renovations as well. Ford Stryker, associate vice president for physical plant, said ‘aging and inefficient systems’ will be replaced, along with other interior and exterior improvements. Both buildings will maintain their bed counts of 273 each.
All three buildings will be connected to the campus chilled water system for air conditioning. Updated recreational spaces and landscaping and improved parking and pedestrian areas are included in the site plans.
The total cost for this phase of the project is $106 million, funded by self-supported borrowing and housing and food services reserves. The university implemented a capital assessment to room and board fees last year to expedite housing projects at University Park and other campuses.
The university began phase 1a of the East Halls project last year. The construction on the new Earle Hall near Park Avenue is well under way and is expected to be completed in time for the fall 2017 semester. When finished, Earle Hall will house 336 beds. Upgrades to Stuart Hall are also included in that phase of the project, which totals $65.1 million.
East Halls is home to about 3,900 mostly first-year students.
In other business the committee:
– Approved the replacement of more than 200,000 square feet of roofing across the University Park campus at a cost of $11.1 million. Replacement will be based on results of a 2012 condition assessment and will focus on maximizing longevity and accommodating future maintenance.
Stryker said the campus has about 10 million square feet of roofing in total.
– Approved $1.1 million for upgrades to the chilled water piping system in Old Main to correct cooling issues.
