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Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ken Burtis confirmed at a meeting of the Department of Chemistry on Oct. 5 that the campus is moving forward this fall with multiple projects that will benefit chemistry-based disciplines.

These projects will add new research laboratory, office and interdisciplinary collaboration space, improve the electrical and exhaust capacity of the existing labs, and improve the seismic performance and life safety in the Chemistry Building and the Chemistry Annex (collectively, the “Chemistry Complex”).

A broader vision of a separate interdisciplinary Discovery Hub has been articulated and will continue to be refined as a major development opportunity in the upcoming campaign.

The $56 million Chemistry Addition and Phase 1 Renovation will dramatically reshape the appearance and function of the Chemistry Complex, with the addition providing a new front door and welcoming face to the Physical Sciences District, while increasing the area of the Chemistry Building by 20 percent.

The renovation portion of the project will deliver additional new lab and office space to accommodate growth and provide templates of modern, high-capacity labs as well as new interdisciplinary collaboration space for chemistry-based disciplines.

Finally, the renovation includes major improvements to the Chemistry Building’s exhaust and electrical systems, providing an increase in fume hoods, access to standby electrical power, and complete renewal of the building’s cooling and heating systems. Project programming will launch this fall with initial construction anticipated for mid-2018. 

The $35 million Chemistry Seismic and Life Safety project adds fire suppression and improves the seismic performance of the Chemistry Complex. This project will be completed with minimal displacement to research and provide a secondary benefit of making standby electrical power available for critical equipment in the Chemistry Annex. In addition, this project will renovate restrooms, and provide exterior, landscaped ramps for access to both buildings.

Campus officials said work will begin this fall on construction documents for the Chemistry Seismic and Life Safety project, and the campus anticipates work will begin in the summer of 2017.