University Times

The Board of Trustees property and facilities committee this week approved a renovation project in the Chevron Science Center estimated to cost $2.63 million.

The trustees budget committee also must approve capital budget construction projects costing more than $2 million. A meeting of the budget committee has yet to be scheduled, a Pitt official said.

According to press materials provided at the April 2 conference call meeting, the Chevron project consists of the renovation of approximately 3,500 gross square feet on the 3rd floor in order to update instructional laboratories and to provide the flexibility to accommodate both organic chemistry and general chemistry instructional needs.

Work will include replacement of a laboratory ventilation system; energy and water conserving upgrades; Americans With Disabilities Act improvements; lighting upgrades, and reconfigured exhaust infrastructure on the building’s roof.

Funding for the project will come from Provost reserves; $1.05 million is expected to be approved for the fiscal year 2012 budget, while $1.58 million will be part of the FY13 capital budget. The project will not incur annual operating costs or debt service increases, the trustees noted.

—Peter Hart