The hum of construction is a constant on Pitt’s campus that won’t be ending anytime soon, with a new but delayed programming study that brings with it the possibility of more construction in the coming years.
One year ago, the Office of Planning, Design and Construction began looking into renovations for popular student buildings such as the William Pitt Union and O’Hara Student Center with a new Student Unions Programming Study, with reports that the study was to be completed in the fall of 2024. Since then, the PDC has set a new completion date for the current spring semester.
The programming study aims to look into student unions and how they function in order to better accentuate them to these groups’ needs. The planning office will not know where construction is needed, or whether it is needed at all, until after the study has concluded. Carolyn Verga, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Planning, said studies like this are mostly meant to check in with how students utilize these buildings.
“Studies like this allow us to understand the program needs to establish potential paths forward,” Verga said. “In this case, renovation projects have not yet been determined. More information will follow once priorities have been established and funding is identified.”
Verga said that for most studies done on Pitt’s campus, the deadline is not always guaranteed to stay the same.
“Project schedules are estimated and subject to change,” Verga said. “With this in mind, we anticipate the report will be completed in the coming weeks.”
The University is now planning to integrate the Student Unions study with the larger Campus Master Plan, a massive renovation and redevelopment plan for Pitt’s campus that was originally established in 2019. The new plan is based on the foundations of the original 2019 CMP and the 2021 Institutional Master Plan. According to its website, the CMP is currently in the third phase, named “Plan Recommendations,” of the schedule. Nothing from the new CMP has been implemented yet, as the plan is still in development with expectations of completion by December 2025.
Karin Asher, the assistant dean of student engagement and professional development, said this study’s integration into the CMP will help make student union buildings more tailored to student use.
“This approach allows us to align our Student Unions renovation goals with the overall campus vision, ensuring that we meet the expectations and needs of our students,” Asher said.
Once the study’s initial exploratory phase is complete it merges with CMP, the study will go through the required capital projects review process, including a multi-stage review by various Pitt Board of Trustees members to decide on funding and get approved for construction.
Verga said that the capital projects review process helps the Board of Trustees gain key insights into the feasibility and design of projects.
“This mandatory, codified process prevents unauthorized commitments from moving forward by requiring that certain absolutes, such as funding, are met before the project can begin and creates guardrails through each step that will halt projects if there is not complete alignment,” Verga said.
Campus forums for the CMP will be coming out this spring for students to give feedback on the plan. Verga urged students to get involved with studies such as these to make a difference in the future of Pitt’s campus.
“Your participation in studies and engagement sessions like these quite literally shapes the future of our campus,” Verga said.