Board approves computer
science department building
By Kurt Esposito
Summer
Editor
The Purdue Board of Trustees approved design and
planning for a $20 million building to house the computer sciences department
Friday.
The 60,000 square-foot, multi-story building will
provide classrooms, instructional and research laboratories and office
space. It will consolidate a computer science department that is spread
out between five buildings. Groundbreaking is expected to occur next
summer.
It will be located on the corner of University
and Third streets across from the Armory.
In other trustees business, the board authorized
the start of phase one of the Recreational Sports Center renovation.
The renovation will occur in the center's basement and update the weight
room and aerobic facilities. An elevator will also be installed to provide
better access for the disabled.
The board also approved a $13 million project budget
for a chiller plant.
"It's needed in order to support the need of air
conditioning in the north campus," said Ken Burns, executive vice president
.and treasurer.
He said the three new buildings scheduled to be
built in the south campus over the next few years will also add to the
need for the plant.
The plant, to be located on Stadium Avenue, when
completed will provide up to 12,000 tons of chilled water to the University.
The trustees also authorized HDR Architecture to
proceed with planning and design for the nanotechnology research facility
to be built in the Purdue Village at the corner of State Street and
Airport Road.
"(This is) one of the most exciting projects I
can recall during my days at Purdue," said Burns.
The $60 million facility will provide biology and
chemistry laboratories and nanotechnology incubator. The center is designed
to support interdisciplinary research in the field of nanotechnology.
The field involves the study of building miniature
devices and systems one atom at a time. Some of its applications include
medical treatment and communications.
A contract for construction of the Visual and Performing
Arts building was awarded to H.G. Cristman Construction of South Bend,
Ind., for $21.1 million.
A new doctoral program in audiology in the department
of audiology and speech sciences was also approved. If it is approved
by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the program is expected
to have 40 students over the next four years.
Sally Frost Mason, provost, said the new program
will attract students to Purdue in good numbers.
The board also approved the renaming of Agriculture
Hall to the David C. Pfendler Hall of Agriculture. Pfendler, who died
in 1998, worked in the School of Agriculture for 38 years.
"David Pfendler was a legendary mentor of mine
and many others in the School of Agriculture," said trustees vice chairman
Wayne Townsend.
"He was a mentor to the University until the day
he died."
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