April 11, 2008
Pile-driving began on the western edge of St. John‘s University’s
Queens Campus this week in preparation for construction of a new,
state-of-the-art
University
Center/Academic Center. The 5-story, brick-and-stone
building is designed to integrate with and complement the existing
campus buildings and is scheduled to open in 2009.
“In erecting this new structure, we renew our promise and
commitment—made nearly a decade ago to our first incoming
residential students—to provide a true campus life experience at
St. John’s,” Executive Vice President and COO
James P. Pellow,
Ed.D., remarks. “The new University Center/Academic
Center will provide our students—residential and commuter—with both
an enhanced learning environment and an enriched student life.”
In fact, the new structure has been designed to enhance both the
living and the learning experiences at St. John’s. Fourteen
“flexible” classrooms, in which lightweight, durable tables and
chairs will permit faculty to configure a classroom according to
type of class taught, will allow instructors to quickly rearrange
the room from a row setting to a circular, curved, cluster or other
arrangement. Each classroom will feature the latest in technology,
including overhead projection screens, whiteboards, and the latest
version of the technology podium with more functional and flexible
controls and connections and improved audio and projection. The
building will also provide ample student recreation and
entertainment space—a home away from home—plus a cafe, student
organization offices and meeting/conference rooms. A new Board Room
and a banquet room will also be located in the building.
The yet-to-be-named UC/AC, sited between Sullivan Hall and Taffner
Field House, will complete the fourth side of a second, smaller
University Quadrangle (the Great Lawn forms the first, centrally
located quadrangle), which will be bordered on the other three
sides by Marillac, St. Augustine and St. Albert Halls. The
resultant “quad” will be landscaped and additional trees will be
planted, contributing to a further “greening” of the campus.
“The area will become,” according to Dr. Pellow, “an Academic
Grove, where scholars can congregate and discuss topics of the
day.” The area directly in front of the new structure, which is
currently a roadway, will become a pedestrian walkway paved with
stones from Sullivan Hall to Carnesecca Arena. Vehicular traffic
will be eliminated.
In conforming with St. John’s commitment to meet and exceed the
Mayor’s Challenge to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent for all
New York City campuses, the new UC/AC will be built according to
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards,
incorporating many energy-saving mechanical/electrical systems and
when possible using low-impact materials and finishes.
Last month, in preparation for the first stage of construction, the
bleaches and press box in DaSilva Memorial Field were demolished to
make way for the new structure. Now that the initial phase of the
UC/AC construction has begun, noise and vibration can be an issue,
warns Ibi Yolas, Executive Director of Design and Construction at
the University. She advises that these should abate in the next
weeks and asks for the continued patience from the University
community.
In addition, other major construction projects are in various
stages of completion:
The Rev. John B. Murray, C.M. Priest
Residence
The
Rev. John
B. Murray, C.M. Priest Residence was completed in December
2007. Fourteen members of the Congregation of the Mission,
previously housed on the upper floors of St. Vincent Hall over
several University offices, moved into the Tudor-style edifice in
January. The new residence now allows the priests who teach or
minister to the University community to remain in the heart of the
campus, close to University events and activities and accessible to
students and faculty alike, as they were while living in St.
Vincent Hall. Most importantly, they remain adjacent to St. Thomas
More Church, which St. John’s President,
Rev. Donald J.
Harrington, C.M. has referred to as ”the jewel of the campus.”
A dedication ceremony for the residence is scheduled to take place
in the fall.
Student Townhouses Near
Completion
Across the interior roadway from St. Thomas More Church,
student
townhouses are nearing completion. Also designed of brick and
stone in the Tudor-style, these three-story residences are built
around five courtyards and will enhance on-campus housing options
for upperclass students. They are expected to be ready for
occupancy by about 294 students in Fall 2008.
These three new structures have all been made possible by the very
successful completion of a $271 million Capital Campaign in
mid-2006. That campaign, undertaken to support the
University’s mission of providing an excellent education to all
people, especially those lacking the economic, physical or social
advantages, was wildly successful, surpassing its goal by nearly
$22 million.
Carnesecca Arena to Be Renovated
A second round of renovations is set to sweep
Carnesecca
Arena this summer, and Red Storm fans will be the major
beneficiaries. A $5 million interior renovation will include an
enhanced lobby area, renovated bathrooms and other common areas.
Seating in the lower arena will be replaced with more comfortable
chair-back seats and bleachers in the upper arena are being
replaced. Cosmetic upgrades are being made to both areas.
A new hardwood playing surface will be installed and new lighting
and sound systems will make attending a game at Carnesecca more
pleasurable than ever. The lobby area is in for a reconfiguration
and face-lift. Ticketing activities will move to the east end
of the building and the ticket windows will now be located on the
exterior of the arena, providing easier access for Red Storm fans
while at the same time significantly reducing lobby congestion.
Last summer, during the first phase of Carnesecca renovations, a
Student-Athlete Center for Excellence was completed to house the
entire Student Development Program for athletes, which focuses on
academic excellence, career development, personal enhancement,
leadership and community service. The Center includes a
group-study room for 54 students that can be easily converted into
a classroom or seminar room; three smaller rooms, each
accommodating a maximum of three to four students, for tutoring or
small-group study; and office space for administrators who are
dedicated to supporting the educational experience of
athletes.
The President’s Room, a brand-new space created when the Faculty
Club moved to Sun Yat Sen Hall last summer, is now available for
meetings and presentations.
"The renovation of Carnesecca Arena is vital, not only to our
basketball programs, but to the entire athletics department since
it houses most of our student-athletes, administrators and coaches.
Carnesecca Arena is the heart of our athletics program," said St.
John’s Athletic Director Chris Monasch. "The work done this summer
is a significant start to the project, which will be completed over
the course of the next few summers."