BGSU Breaks Ground on School of the Built Environment Facility

Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, held a groundbreaking ceremony last week for a new School of the Built Environment facility. Once complete, the building will play home to the construction management and architecture and environmental design programs. The project comes with a $10.4-million price tag and is scheduled for completion during the 2022-23 academic year.

The work includes a 22,900-square-foot expansion of an existing academic building on Park Avenue, which currently houses the architecture and environmental design program, and the new construction of an adjacent building. The new space will feature a 6,500-square-foot innovation lab for fabrication and construction classes, two digital labs, a materials and soils lab, classrooms and collaboration spaces.

“Having both programs under one location allows students in architecture and environmental design and construction management to learn from each other, which better prepares them for working on multidisciplinary teams,” said Dr. Joe B. Whitehead Jr., BGSU provost and senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “It also allows our faculty to engage in collaborative research that will provide a deeper understanding of both fields, enhancing collaborative opportunities and driving student success.”

The School of the Built Environment is the only one of its kind in the state. BGSU also offers one of two Construction Management programs in Ohio and about 60 nationwide accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. The Park Avenue building had been previously renovated in 2014 to feature amenities like studios, a materials and reference library, a print room with plotters and laser cutters and an administrative suite for the architecture and environmental design program.

“As a public university for the public good, BGSU recognizes the importance of educating construction management students who understand design and architecture students who understand construction,” said BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers. “This innovative facility will increase collaboration in the School of the Built Environment, and it will better serve students, who will be prepared for productive careers and meet the workforce needs in Ohio and beyond.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.