Board committee approves new building construction on branch campuses, Alan Magee Scaife Hall renovations

The Properties and Facilities Committee of Pitt’s Board of Trustees held a public meeting last Thursday to discuss resolutions to construct two new branch campus buildings, as well as improvements to an Oakland campus building.

The committee voted unanimously in favor of approving the construction of a new Bradford campus engineering and information sciences stand-alone building to house two new engineering technology programs, the relocated Computer Information Systems & Technology Program and academic support space for increased student enrollment.

The new $24.5-million building will be 39,500 gross square feet and include engineering labs, engineering shops, computer labs, campus data center and active large group classrooms.

The committee also voted in favor of approving the construction of a new two-story Life Sciences Building on the Greensburg campus, which will include a corridor connection to the existing Smith Hall to create a “Life Sciences Complex.”

The $19.3 million building will be 32,000 gross square feet, programmed to include a nursing clinical lab, simulation suites, chemistry and biology lab and support spaces, a computer lab, a nursing administration suite, student lounge space and support space.

The committee voted in favor of beginning the second of two major phases to upgrade and modernize Alan Magee Scaife Hall. The projects modernize approximately 47,400 square feet of space on four floors on the west side of the existing building to provide teaching and student spaces, lecture halls, laboratories and group study spaces.

The existing classrooms will also be reoriented to serve as a hub for the six health sciences schools and the building’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure will be updated to support requirements. The committee estimated the project cost to be $30 million.