University Times

A new freshman residence hall will be built at the corner of University Place and Fifth Avenue.

Pitt trustees this month approved a $136.7 million capital budget for fiscal year 2012, which began July 1.

The two top projects call for spending an estimated $55 million to build a new freshman residence hall at the corner of University Place and Fifth Avenue and $10 million to upgrade the elevators in the Cathedral of Learning.

As part of the new residence hall project, Pitt will spend an additional estimated $2.7 million to relocate the University Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR), which is moving from 121 University Place to 3343 Forbes Avenue. The center’s former location is being razed this summer in preparation for building the new dormitory.

The budget and executive committees of Pitt’s Board of Trustees approved the capital budget July 8.

In introducing that budget, Arthur G. Ramicone, chief financial officer, said that only the planned new freshman student residence hall calls for new construction in a budget that focuses on renovation and preservation projects on all five University campuses.

Of the $136.7 million total budget, some $56.4 million is for educational and general (E&G) renovations, and $80.3 million will be directed toward non-E&G projects, including the new student housing project.

In addition to the Cathedral elevator upgrades and the relocation of UCSUR, the capital budget includes the following E&G projects:

• $6.5 million for Thackeray Hall renovations and infrastructure upgrades.

• $5.4 million for Pittsburgh campus preservation projects.

• $5 million for mid-campus complex (Langley, Clapp and Crawford halls) phase 2 renovations.

• $4.1 million for Chevron Science Center 2nd floor instructional lab upgrades.

• $3.5 million for the Chevron Science Center molecular characterization facility.

• $3.1 million for Parran/Crabtree halls addition and renovation, phase 1.

• $2.5 million for Chevron Science Center and Eberly Hall laboratory renovations.

• $2.4 million for Pittsburgh campus programmatic renovations (excluding Health Sciences).

• $1.7 million for Cathedral of Learning 5th and 6th floor renovations and air conditioning upgrades.

• $1.7 million for Old Engineering Hall basement nanoscience lab renovation.

• $1.5 million for regional campus preservation/programmatic renovations.

• $1.3 million for Old Engineering Hall 4th floor renovations.

• $1.3 million for Schools of the Health Sciences (including programmatic renovations).

• $1.1 million for information technology upgrades (various buildings).

• $1 million for classroom renovations.

• $905,000 for general campus security upgrades.

• $668,000 for information technology upgrades to Benedum Hall, phase 2.

In addition to the new residence hall project, non-E&G construction projects in the capital budget are:

• $13.6 million for Senior Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences projects.

• $7.5 million for The Book Center renovation.

• $1.9 million for housing renovations and preservation.

• $1.8 million for regional campus auxiliary and non-auxiliary projects.

• $532,328 for other Pittsburgh campus auxiliary enterprises.

The capital projects are funded by a combination of sources:

• $16.8 million through E&G financing;

• $48.7 million through auxiliary debt;

• $11.7 million through auxiliary reserves;

• $10.9 million through Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences funds;

• $16.5 million through commonwealth capital projects funding, and

• $32.1 million through gifts or other funding.

—Peter Hart