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October 27, 1994

Master space plan outlines physical development of University campus

Pitt's master space plan outlining the physical development of the Pittsburgh campus over the next five, 10 and 20 years was formally unveiled at the Board of Trustees' meeting on Oct. 21.

Developed by Senate Council's plant utilization and planning committee (PUP), the plan is part of an overall facilities planning effort by the Pittsburgh campus and Oakland community at large, including institutional, commercial, residential and governmental space.

Pitt's master space plan was based on seven clear and intertwined planning principles, Senior Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Ben Tuchi told the trustees. He said it is the University's intention that the plan:

* Be comprehensive;

* Be integrated;

* Be based on the University's academic mission;

* Support the expectations of students and faculty;

* Stress mutual interests with the community and neighboring institutions; * Emphasize a human scale and the free movement of pedestrians;

* Be predictable and flexible.

"Our expectation is that this document is live, will always be live, will always be subject to change because its purpose is to deliver the long-range plan and goals of the University," Tuchi said.

No action was taken on the master space plan by the trustees. Tuchi told the board, though, that University planners are open to any suggestions the trustees might have concerning the plan. Faculty, staff, students and members of the community also will be given an opportunity to comment on Pitt's master space plan at a public forum hosted by PUP on Nov. 2. Tuchi said the master space plan will be updated once more before it is presented to the city Planning Commission on Nov. 15 and will be updated again after the Planning Commission has analyzed the contents and provided its input. Highlights of the master space plan are as follows: Short-Range Plan In the short range, the next five years, the master space plan concentrates on ways to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Operation Jump Start to make a more cohesive campus. Operation Jump Start is Gov. Robert Casey's plan to stimulate Pennsylvania's economy by creating construction jobs through public works projects such as road repairs and the renovation or construction of public buildings. Projects selected for the short-range include an addition to Hillman Library, construction of a Children and Youth Center at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, construction of a convocation center, construction of a new multi-purpose academic complex, renovation of Bellefield Hall and the Masonic Temple, and improvements to the campus safety system.

In addition to projects partially funded by the state, the University in the short-range also is planning to undertake construction of a College of Business Administration and a science education addition to Langley Hall.

In conjunction with private groups, the University in the short range also is exploring the development of the former Burger King site on Fifth Avenue.

Renovation projects being considered for the short-range include: stadium football facilities, the Eureka Building, the Music Building, upgrading of vacated spaces and the continuation of ongoing renovation, code compliance and deferred maintenance projects.

Although these projects are the focus of the short-range plan, PUP has noted that there are no guarantees that all of the projects will be completed or even started within the five-year span of the short-range plan. No starting dates are attached to any of the projects.

As Deborah Rouse, associate director of Facilities Planning, pointed out in the Sept. 1 issue of the University Times, private funds will be needed to undertake some of the projects on the list and there is no way of knowing how much private money will be raised during the short-range period.

At the end of the five-year period, only three or four of the projects might be completed, she noted. On the other hand, if private fund raising goes well and no other problems develop, all of the projects could be finished in three years.

Multi-purpose Academic Complex Planned for the area along Forbes Avenue between Oakland Avenue and Bouquet Street, the multi-purpose academic complex will contain approximately 180,000 square feet of space, not including parking facilities. Approximately 150,000 square feet of the building will be used for faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, computer labs and lecture halls. Two academic units, psychology and computer science, will be housed in the building. It will contain two lecture halls with seating for 200 – 300 people. The larger lecture facility will be used primarily by the physics department and the smaller one by other science departments.

On the street level, the building will contain about 19,000 square feet of retail space and a small, satellite campus police station.

Approximately 340 faculty, 190 graduate students and 1,070 undergraduate students will be served by the multi-purpose academic complex. It is anticipated that visitors to the building will generate a parking demand for about 70 additional vehicles. The project will provide parking for 65 to 70 cars in garage space under the building and 15 to 20 cars on the south side of the site along Sennott Street. A loading dock for two trucks also will be constructed.

To enhance the character of the Forbes Avenue commercial area, the new building will be about the same height as the Law School. The lower level will feature storefront windows set on a granite base, while the upper levels will be constructed of brick with limestone trim.

Projected cost for the project is $31.4 million, including $20 million in state funds and $11.4 million in University funding. The architects are Johnson/Schmidt & Associates.

Hillman Library The Hillman Library addition will provide about 100,000 square feet of space for book collections, programs and staff. It also will serve as swing space, or temporary space, for offices and some collections during the planned renovation of Hillman Library.

To be constructed along Schenley Drive in the area of the current entrance, the addition will create a new, more defined, main entrance for the library. It will incorporate views of The Carnegie and the Cathedral of Learning and "create an important focal point, appropriate for the main campus library," according to the master space plan.

The circulation desk will be relocated to the addition and new open-stack areas, reading and study rooms, offices and related auxiliary support spaces will be provided. The addition also will contain state-of-the-art communication connections.

Total projected cost of the addition is $19 million, including $7 million from the state and $12 million in University funds. The design is a joint venture of Damianos Brown Andrews, Inc. and Pei Cobb Freed and Partners.

Convocation Center Meant to accommodate commencement, men's and women's basketball, and possibly wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics, lectures, expositions, concerts and other events, the convocation center will contain approximately 300,000 square feet. It will include a 10,000 – 12,500 seat arena, spectator support facilities, management and ticket offices, basketball offices, locker rooms and operation support facilities.

A site for the convocation center has yet to be determined, according to the master space plan, but the University is currently focusing on the OC Parking Lot near Trees Hall. The University has hired a transportation consulting team to review the transportation implications of the location and to make recommendations as to the feasibility of the site.

Projected cost of the convocation center is $35 million, of which $13 million will come from the state and $22 million from the University.

Architects are L.D. Astorino & Associates/HOK Sports Facilities Group.

Children and Youth Center Designed as an addition to Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC), the Children and Youth Center will allow existing child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient, research and administrative programs to be centralized. The programs that will move into the building are currently housed in Bellefield Towers, Webster Hall and the Parkvale Building.

According to the master space plan, the relocation will permit WPIC to lessen its dependence on non-University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) space, reduce the cost associated with the rental of external space and allow more effective coordination of services.

The center will be built atop J Lot next to WPIC. It will contain about 100,000 square feet of space in eight stories. Portions of the existing WPIC facility, such as the kitchen and dining area, also will be renovated as part of the project.

Architects are Burt Hill Kosar Rittleman Associates. The master space plan does not contain a cost estimate for the project or a construction schedule, but Ronald Forsythe, vice president of Facilities and Support Services for UPMC, said in a story in the July 7 issue of the University Times that work on the Children and Youth Center probably will begin in either January or February and the building will cost about $18 million, including $9 million from the state and $9 million from WPIC.

College of Business Administration The College of Business Administration (CBA) is a new school that the University plans to start in fall 1995. Approximately 225 students are expected to enroll in the school's first class. The college's population could grow to a maximum of 2,000 faculty, staff and students by 2001, according to the master space plan.

The new building to house the CBA is expected to contain approximately 85,000 square feet for faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, computing and language labs, and service centers.

A site for the CBA has not yet been chosen, but the University is focusing its attention on the SB Lot located across South Bouquet Street from the Katz Graduate School of Business. However, the master space plan notes, a study is still needed to determine if the zoning code will allow construction of such a facility on the site and if the subsurface of the site is conducive to building.

The estimated projected cost of the CBA is $21.64 million. The architect is IKM, Inc. Architects, Engineers, Interior Designers.

Science Education Addition A two-story addition of approximately 12,000 square feet is planned for Langley Hall. The addition will augment the Faculty of Arts and Sciences' natural science program. It will provide additional undergraduate instruction space, particularly for the biological sciences.

The projected cost of the addition is $2 million. No architect has been selected for the project yet.

Stadium Football Facilities The University plans to renovate the football facilities in eight phases. The first phase of the work is set for the short-range section of the master space plan, while the other seven phases of renovation will take place in the mid-range, or over the next 10 years.

Phase 1 provides for expansion of operations for the football program. Level D will be renovated at the field and Gate 3 levels. The present Gate 3 area will be renovated into a loading area and a new spectator Gate 3 will be created.

Level D will house a new, enlarged equipment room, home locker room, training and weight rooms. An entrance will be created from the home locker room to the field.

No cost estimates are included in the master space plan.

Bellefield Hall Renovation of Bellefield Hall will take place in two phases. The first phase of the work will center around the exterior of the building, including the installation of a new roof and windows, and masonry repairs. The building's basic systems, such aS electrical and water lines, also will be renovated in the first phase.

Since the building lies within the Oakland Civic Historic District, all of the work will be done in accordance with the requirements of the city's Historic Review Commission, the master space plan notes.

The second phase of the project calls for the completion of interior renovations necessary to house the theatre arts department, studio arts department and music department. Performance space also will be developed in the building.

The preliminary budget for the project is $8 million, including $5 million in state funds. The architect is Williams-Trebilock-Whitehead, Architect, Planners, Interior Designers.

Masonic Temple Most of the Masonic Temple will be used by Hillman to house archives and special collections and for preservation work. The first-floor ballroom will be used as a reading room and for special events. Food service will be on the lower level of the building and music practice space and a music library on the fourth floor.

Renovations will include upgrades to the building and fire systems, the construction of additional elevators, and possibly the construction of stairs and loading dock facilities.

Architects for the project are Landmark Design Associates Architects in association with Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbot Architects. The estimated construction budget is $8 million.

Other Renovation Projects Pitt is considering undertaking the following additional renovation projects in the short-range of the master space plan:

* Eureka Building will supply swing space for units that will be displaced by other short-range construction projects. Some administrative units are expected to be permanently relocated to the building.

* The Admissions and Financial Aid office will be relocated to the Music Building after the music department moves to Bellefield Hall and the Masonic Temple. The specific scope of renovation work on the Music Building has not yet been determined.

* As units move into new or expanded facilities, their existing space will become available for reassignment. The University is studying which units will be assigned to which available space and the renovations they will require.

* The University will continue with its capital program, including deferred maintenance, renovation and code compliance projects.

Fifth Avenue Development The University has received proposals from several private developers for joint development of the area bounded by South Bouquet Street, Fifth Avenue and Oakland Avenue.

Proposed uses for the property include: a student dormitory, parking garage, office building/retail shops, hotel suites/conference center with retail space.

Currently, the University is considering the construction of hotel suites/conference center with retail space on the site, but has not made a final decision.

Mid-Range Plan The University anticipates that its construction efforts over the next 10 years will concentrate in four areas: completion of projects proposed in the short-range plan; renovation of existing space vacated by units that were relocated under the short-range plan; development of additional student housing, and continued improvement to existing buildings.

New construction plans for the mid-range include an upper hilltop student residence hall and a hillside student residence hall.

Renovation projects planned for the period are Hillman Library, stadium football facilities and upgrades of vacated spaces. The University also will continue to make pedestrian circulation and outdoor leisure space improvements during this period.

In addition, joint planning and implementation of parking and transportation improvements will continue with the city and other area institutions.

Upper Hilltop Student Residence Hall As currently envisioned, the upper hilltop student residence hall will contain 300,000 square feet and 800 beds.

According to the master space plan, the upper hilltop near Sutherland Hall was chosen for a new residence hall because Sutherland, with its new dining facility, already is located in the area and additional, adjacent housing will establish the hilltop as a major student housing area. Location of high density undergraduate housing on the hilltop also will minimize potential conflicts between area residents and students, according to the plan.

Outstanding views and the proximity of major recreational facilities are other attributes of the area that make it attractive to students, the plan notes.

In terms of construction, the hilltop offers large areas of level ground suitable for large-scale construction, while from an urban design perspective the hill is reinforced by having tall buildings on top of it with small buildings leading up to it.

Hillside Student Residence Hall Many of the same properties that make the hilltop desirable for student housing also make the hillside adjacent to existing fraternity houses a good choice for student housing, according to the master space plan.

At the same time, however, "adverse sub-surface conditions and steep slopes" make the area unsuitable to large-scale development.

Consequently, the University plans the incremental development of low-rise student housing on the hillside. How many housing facilities might be built on the site is not mentioned in the master space plan, but the projected size has been set at approximately 200 beds in about 75,000 square feet of space.

Renovation of Hillman Library Once the addition to Hillman Library is completed in the short-range section of the master space plan, work will begin on renovating the existing library building.

As part of the renovation, existing mechanical, electrical and fire protection systems will be updated. Telecommunications and information system services also will be increased and changes made to the space arrangement so that the existing library and new addition will function as a single, integrated facility.

The addition to Hillman will be designed so that it and the Masonic Temple can accommodate all of Hillman's programs and collections during the renovation. After the addition is completed, Hillman will be closed so that the renovation work can be done as quickly as possible.

Stadium Football Facilities The mid-range plan contains phases 2 – 8 of the eight-phase program to improve stadium football facilities.

* Phase 2 will include a new visiting team locker room and band space, and renovation of the loading dock.

* Phase 3 will center on providing new football offices.

* Phase 4 calls for renovation of the vacated football offices into an academic support area.

* Phase 5 will provide new offices for Athletic Administration.

* Phase 6 will create a permanent location for academic support services by renovating the lower two floors of the former Athletic Administration Building.

* Phase 7 will upgrade the concourse area of level E and construct new toilet and concession areas beneath the field seating.

* Phase 8 will transform the Gate 1 area into a central gateway to the stadium. It will lead to the field and to the concourse level. An interior street for pedestrians moving between upper and lower campus zones will be created on the concourse. All of the University's athletic facilities will be physically linked by this stadium renovation effort.

Long-Range Plan Rapidly changing technology, economic, demographic and legislative trends make it difficult for planners to specifically predict the type of changes that might be necessary and the amount of space new programs might require in the long-range period, 20 years into the future.

Capital development at the University also is greatly dependent on the availability of state construction funds. A list of projects approved for funding has been okayed by the state for the long-range period. However, there is no way of knowing when funding for any of the projects actually will be released.

Also, as an institution located in an urban area, the University cannot anticipate what options for future growth may present themselves over the next 20 years. For such reasons, the long-range section of the master space plan is less specific than either the mid-range or short-range portions of the plan.

Projects approved by the state for which funding has not yet been released include: renovation and construction of an addition to Alumni Hall and the Chevron Science Center, $13 million; renovation of the pool and gymnasium in Trees Hall, $5 million; construction of an addition to Victoria Hall, $7.2 million; construction of an addition to Forbes Quadrangle, $6.8 million, and renovation and code compliance improvements, including Americans with Disabilities Act improvements, for state buildings, $7.2 million.

Syria Mosque Site The one location for which there are details in the long-range section of the master space plan is the former Syria Mosque site.

Due to the site's location near the center of the Pitt campus, about one block from the Cathedral of Learning and the William Pitt Union, and its cost, approximately $10 million for acquisition and $2 million for improvements, the master space plan says "it is clear that this site mandates the construction of a significant institutional facility." To ensure that the cost of the site is justifiable, the master space plan says that the site must be "intensively developed." Current zoning regulations permit the construction of a building of 300,000 – 400,000 square feet on the property. The design of any new building would be governed by the unique nature of the surrounding buildings. According to the plan, "any facility built on the site should be architecturally unique and sensitively sited to ensure that it enhances the outstanding Historic District that surrounds it." Possible uses for the Syria Mosque site listed in the master space plan include: a 1,000-to- 1,500-bed student housing complex; a student center that would supplement existing recreational and intramural sports, and student service facilities currently located in Trees Hall and the William Pitt Union, and a new science complex that would accommodate facilities currently housed in Allen Hall, Old Engineering Hall, Thaw Hall and, perhaps, the Space Research Coordination Center.

Whatever the future use of the site, PUP recommends conducting an international competition for the design.

–Mike Sajna

Filed under: Feature,Volume 27 Issue 5

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