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March 2, 2017

UPB dorm construction okayed

UPB Residence Hall P Ground PerspectiveThe Board of Trustees property and facilities committee has approved projects totaling more than $20.36 million at Pitt-Bradford.

At its Feb. 23 meeting, the committee approved $16.92 million for construction of a 178-bed residence hall and $4.71 million for renovations to existing dining facilities in the Frame-Westerberg Commons.

Funding for the projects was approved as part of the FY17 capital budget. (See July 21, 2016, University Times.)

Construction is expected to commence in May, with the residence hall ready for occupancy in fall 2018.

According to trustee documents, the new residence hall is expected to result in a $123,421 annual increase in net income. The dining hall improvements are expected to result in a $74,081 annual increase in net income.

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In other business, the committee:

• Approved $3.5 million in electrical system improvements at the Posvar Hall substation. The project includes new breakers, cable feeds and solid-state relaying and programmable logic controls.

The project will address future capacity and maintain the system’s reliability and efficiency, said Greg Scott, senior vice chancellor for Business and Operations.

• Approved the expansion of Pitt’s leased space in the Energy Innovation Center (EIC) at 1501 Bedford Ave. in the Hill District to 22,500 square feet.

In 2015, the University leased 18,600 square feet of lab, research incubator and office space at the EIC for the Swanson School of Engineering at an initial cost of $311,550. The lease runs through January 2031, with a five-year option to renew. (See April 2, 2015, University Times.)

The annual rental cost for an additional 3,907 square feet of space, for the Swanson school’s electric power technologies lab, will be approximately $65,442 during the first five years; $68,685 for years six-10; $72,084 for years 11-15, and $75,679 in the event that the five-year renewal option is exercised.
—Kimberly K. Barlow


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