Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Pa. University Breaks Ground on New STEM Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/18/21

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (Pitt-Bradford), located in Bradford, Pa., recently broke ground on a new, 39,000-square-foot STEM building. According to a news release, the Engineering & Information Technologies Center will be the campus’ first new academic building in 20 years. The project comes with an estimated cost of $17.69 million, and construction is projected to be complete in late 2022.

“This is a really exciting development for Pitt-Bradford,” said Rick Esch, the campus’ interim president. “It is the first academic building that the campus has built in two decades, and it’s going to provide a state-of-the-art home for our computer information systems and technology program, energy science and technology students, and two new engineering technology programs.”

The facility will play home to the university’s Mechanical Engineering Technology, Energy Engineering Technology, Energy Science & Technology, and Computer Information Systems & Technology programs. Amenities include academic support space as well as engineering labs and shops, computer labs, the campus data center, large group classrooms, and administrative offices for faculty & staff. It will also give students access to technology like rapid prototyping machines, oscilloscopes and engineering lab stations with the goal of providing opportunities for hands-on learning.

The facility was designed by national architecture and engineering firm HED, who partnered with LGA Partners as the architect of record, interior designer and construction administrator. Rycon Construction Inc. served as the general contractor.

“Collaborative teamwork can transcend limitations,” said HED principal Chris Vogelheim, AIA. “The close collaboration between the owner and the design team enabled the creation of a building that will transform the campus. This is a signature building with a big mission to positively impact the region’s economic development through creating an inspirational place for engineering on this campus.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?