By Heather Mills, Assistant Director Space Management
The 2015 Space Migration Project was initiated to optimize the space allocation opportunities created by new construction on the Manhattan campus. The Space Migration Work Group (SMWG) reviewed 19 concept proposals, narrowing the selection to 12 final proposals. After a review of the final proposals the SMWG presented their recommendations to the President and President’s cabinet to determine which mix of applicants would create the diversity and synergies required to fulfill the project objectives. Proposals were selected that best utilized the spaces being vacated in Calvin Hall, Foundation Tower, Holtz Hall and Nichols Hall.
Listed below are the successful proposals by building:
Calvin Hall
Calvin Hall will become the new home of the Arts & Sciences dean’s office, the history and political science departments, and the security studies program (Proposal 02). There is little need for renovations and the plan maintains existing classroom space. Calvin classrooms are designated for general use and will be scheduled by facilities. Technology classrooms on the third floor will help address Information Technology Services’ request for teaching and research computer labs (Proposal 05).
Foundation Tower
Three proposals requesting space in the Foundation Tower were accepted, which frees up space in the core of campus. Information Technology Services will expand to the second floor (Proposal 04), Engineering Extension will relocate from Ward Hall to the third floor (Proposal 08) and Financial Services will relocate from Anderson Hall to the fifth and sixth floors (Proposal 10). The fourth floor will be used as swing space as other construction projects occur on campus.
Holtz Hall
The Tutoring Center (Proposal 07) will relocate to Holtz Hall from Leasure Hall and Lafene Health Center at Mercy, freeing up valuable space in Leasure Hall and consolidating tutoring services into a central location with easy access.
Nichols Hall
The communication studies department and School of Music, Theatre and Dance — already housed in Nichols Hall — will expand and reorganize to create more natural, collaborative groupings (Proposal 01). The Center for Engagement and Community Development will relocate to Nichols Hall from the Ahearn Gymnasium. Classroom spaces also will be available for the geology department.
With the success of this space migration project, we will initiate a second round of space migration planning this fall. The second round will reallocate spaces being vacated as a result of the current space migration project. Additional details will be provided at a later date.