September 19, 2008
St. John’s, in collaboration with FJ Sciame Construction
Company, Inc., Gensler Architecture and AKF Engineers, held a
“Topping Off” ceremony (a time-honored tradition within the
construction industry that marks the moment when the last steel
beam is hoisted into place) today for its University
Center/Academic Center (UC/AC) to open in the fall of 2009.
The event was also highlighted by a signing of the beam for
posterity by St. John’s University President, Rev. Donald J.
Harrington, C.M., representatives from all collaborative
parties, Student Government and the University community. The beam
was hoisted into position at 10:15 a.m.
Photo
Gallery
“This new structure will represent the newest phase in our
unwavering efforts to provide students and faculty with the finest
facilities and the finest education available anywhere,” said
Robert Wile, Vice President, Chief of Staff and Chief Advancement
Officer at St. John’s University.
The estimated $77 million brick-and-stone structure will have
5-stories and 127,000 square feet of building space which will
integrate with and complement the existing campus buildings and has
been designed to enhance both the living and the learning
experiences at St. John’s. Its academic tower will serve as the
highest point of any current building structure located on the
Queens campus.
“This Topping Off ceremony is an exciting, important and
symbolic occasion from many different perspectives,” said James P. Pellow,
Ed.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at
St. John’s University. "Today we realize a vision that our Board of
Trustees, our President and our University community embraced a
decade ago with the transformation of St. John’s from its historic
roots as a commuter school serving students of New York City, into
a vibrant and active residential and commuter university, where
students from across the country and around our world join New
Yorkers in developing both life-long skills and life-long
friendships.”
The UC/AC will accommodate fourteen “flexible” classrooms, in
which lightweight, durable tables and chairs will permit faculty to
configure a classroom according to the type of class taught, by
allowing 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 design of the UC/AC building was inspired by one of New
York’s most famous gathering places – The Great Hall of Ellis
Island – which served as the staging area for thousands of
immigrants that built and gave life to the city. That symbolism
rings true with the Vincentian Mission of the University, which
opened its doors to the children of immigrants in 1870, to provide
a first-rate academic learning environment and to serve those less
fortunate in the tradition and beliefs of St. Vincent de Paul.
“Every University needs a great leader who has the vision to
build facilities of this type and St. John’s has that leader in
Rev. Harrington,” said Frank Sciame, CEO of FJ Sciame Construction
Company, Inc. “I look forward to toasting the completion of the
building on time and under budget in August of 2009.”
Interested media can contact Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice
President for Media Relations at St. John’s University by calling
(718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries sciannad@stjohns.edu. For
news and information regarding St. John’s visit the University web
site at www.stjohns.edu/news.