Boston University Finishes Renovations to Health Services Center

Boston University in Boston, Mass., recently partnered with Chapman Construction/Design to renovate its Student Health Services facility with the goal of a LEED-CI Silver certification, according to a news release. Improvements to the 21,500-square-foot space are also intended to support the university’s behavioral medical staff including psychiatrists, clinical social workers, clinical nurse specialists, and more.

The Student Health Services center was open and occupied during construction, lending an extra degree of sensitivity to the project. “Our higher education team managed a complex project and coordinated daily with the University’s staff and students to ensure there was minimal disruption to the services being offered,” said Tony Bown, Education Market Sector Leader with Chapman. “We understood the sensitive nature of this project and brought our considerable experience in occupied renovations.”

The project entailed gutting the space and adding 30 new therapy offices, according to the news release. The builder selected wall materials best suited for sound absorption and noise reduction with the privacy of patient/therapist confidentiality in mind. Other new amenities include a reception room, two gender-neutral restrooms, a staff break room, two larger group restrooms, and LED lighting.

After renovations, the building’s first floor now contains ten primary care exam rooms, 14 administrative offices, a reception area, and four single-use restrooms. The entrance vestibule was updated to include a new set of interior doors. Chapman cut through the floor of the first floor to install a communicating stair that connects the basement and ground floors. Finally, the builders removed the building’s existing freight elevator and replaced it with a passenger elevator to provide access to higher floors, according to the news release.

Boston University and Chapman Construction/Design also partnered with isgenuity for architecture and design.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Classical building columns display digital data streams

    The Campus Nervous System: Why Facilities Risk Is Now a Leadership Issue in Higher Education

    Facility performance now intersects with safety, compliance, on-campus experience, institutional reputation, and financial resilience. That places it firmly on the leadership agenda.