University Times

New turf at the Cost Sports Center, renovations to Pitt-Johnstown student apartments and a museum at Pitt-Bradford to showcase the career of Bradford-born international opera star Marilyn Horne are among $34.7 million in projects recently approved by the Board of Trustees property and facilities committee.

The largest of the projects is $7.2 million in laboratory renovations on the 10th floor of the Starzl Biomedical Science Tower for the Department of Immunology.

In its March 30 meeting, the committee also approved:

• $6.5 million in renovations at UPJ’s College Park Apartments, which were last used in spring 2013.

The apartment building has a total of 140 student beds in 60 one- and two-bedroom units. Renovations will include new roofing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; carpeting, windows, a sprinkler system, the addition of accessible units and upgrades to some kitchens and bathrooms.

Work is expected to be completed in spring 2017.

• $5.7 million to create the Marilyn Horne Museum and Exhibit Center in UPB’s Seneca Building in downtown Bradford.

Horne, a native of Bradford, made her opera debut at the Los Angeles Opera Guild at the age of 20 and sang professionally for more than 40 years. The opera star is donating her archive to Pitt. Portions of her collection of musical compositions and recordings, photographs, costumes and posters will be on display at the museum.

The historic building’s 8,355-square foot first floor will be converted into a museum with rotating exhibits from the Horne archive. The center will include classroom space, a recital area and a cafe.

Funding includes a $3 million state redevelopment assistance capital program grant to the McKean County Industrial Development Authority.

Construction is expected to begin this summer with an opening slated for 2017.

• $5.3 million for interior renovations, mechanical upgrades and a new synthetic turf floor at the Cost Sports Center. Arthur G. Ramicone, senior vice chancellor, chief financial officer and interim executive vice chancellor, said the Cost center turf is heavily used by Pitt’s intramural club sports as well as Pitt’s track and field, soccer, volleyball and baseball teams, and is in need of replacement.

• $4.5 million in renovations and mechanical upgrades for the 12th floor of the Cathedral of Learning. The project includes heating and air conditioning as well as restroom handicap-accessibility upgrades, Ramicone said.

• $2.8 million in upgrades to the Chevron Science Center electrical substation.

• $2.6 million for exterior and roof renovations to the Space Research Coordination Center.

The trustees committee also approved four leases:

• A three-year lease with a five-year renewal option at an initial annual cost of $1.15 million, starting Oct. 1, for 36,699 square feet of laboratory and office space at Bridgeside Point I, 100 Technology Drive, for the Graduate School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.

• A five-year lease renewal with an additional five-year option at an annual cost of $327,526 plus reimbursement for the pro-rata share of real estate taxes assessed for the building, for 11,294 square feet of space in the Parkvale Building, 200 Meyran Ave., for Pitt’s English Language Institute.

• Two 10-year leases at Schenley Place, 4420 Bayard St., beginning Aug. 1: For the Department of Family Medicine, 6,313 square feet of office space at an initial annual cost of $208,329, and for the Department of Epidemiology’s Epidemiology Data Center, 16,569 square feet of office space at an initial cost of $546,777.

—Kimberly K. Barlow