Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Construction of Interim Science Building Completed at Saint Louis University

  • 09/08/17

St. Louis Science BuildingMcCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has completed the conversion of a former charter elementary school into an interim science building for Saint Louis University (SLU). The 50,000-sq.-ft. renovation, which was undertaken and opened in time for fall 2017 semester, now houses research, teaching and office space for the University’s Department of Biology. Located on SLU’s South Campus, the new facilities will serve students, researchers and faculty while the University renovates Macelwane Hall, which experienced a fire and subsequent water damage in May 2017.

McCarthy completed the fast-track construction project in seven weeks to ensure the building would be ready for the start of classes on August 28.

“We quickly mobilized our team and collaborated closely with SLU’s staff and Fox Architects to convert the vacant school into a state-of-the-art science learning environment,” says Ryan Freeman, vice president at McCarthy Building Companies. “The project involved a lot of hands-on ingenuity and innovation to meet the very quick timeframe.”

To avoid project delays and reduce costs, the construction team proactively surveyed and sourced laboratory casework and equipment salvaged from the fire, then reworked it to fit the programs and layout in the new spaces. 

Located at the corner of Spring and Chouteau Avenues, the former Imagine charter elementary school building required installation of lab exhaust and other systems and equipment, as well as extensive rework of mechanical and electrical systems to accommodate advanced research and teaching labs. 

“We relied on McCarthy’s efficiency and specialized expertise in building complex research and education spaces to complete the project on time,” says Dustin Montgomery, assistant director of construction services of Saint Louis University.

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.