The work continues in the middle of the Saint Michael's College campus on two new buildings, together called the Quad Commons. The four-story high new residence hall and dramatic multi-functional new student center are coming into ever sharper focus and reality, as campus life carries on, smoothly, around the construction sites. The student center shows steel and infrastructure; the residence hall is closed in with temporary protective plastic for intensive interior work.
The $30 million Quad Commons project is situated in the space between the existing, inhabited, four quadrangle residence halls, and will, once completed, connect to those residences by enclosed walkways. The project, started in May 2012, slated for completion by August 2013, consists of a 40,000-square-foot student center and a 43,400-square-foot residence hall.
Enhanced residential living-learning opportunities will flourish with the new student center. Student Life professionals are working on programming opportunities, staffing needs and technology readiness. The facility will offer new food options (till 2 a.m., nightly), a cardio-exercise facility till an undetermined late hour, advanced technology throughout the building, casual meeting places, a meditation room, and more.
James Farrington, reported the following updated information about the project:
Einstein Bros Bagels
A café that stays open till 2 a.m. will be provided by an expanded version of Einsteins Bros Bagels, with grill additions from Sodexho. Einstein Brothers features food that is fast, but never tastes that wayThink fresh-baked goods, made-to-order sandwiches, crisp salads and gourmet coffee.
The residence hall is weather tight, and has about 85% of the brick installed. The interior walls are all framed. Electrical and plumbing is progressing well, and walls are starting to be closed up with Gypsum wall board. The geothermal well field was completely installed over the summer. The boilers were installed in mid-January. Im pleased with the progress, Engineer Farrington said.
The student center is progressing well, he said. They are getting it weather tight. All the floors (concrete) are installed. Metal studs for exterior walls are being installed now (late January) and exterior sheathing is going up. The metal stair pans have been installed and the monumental stair is being installed now.
The residence hall should be complete about a month or more before fall opening and the student center is on schedule to be complete by or right at opening.
Excitement is mounting at the prospect of new opportunities provided by these new buildings to enhance the living-learning, residential experience of Saint Michaels College.
Vermont Companies make-up the Quad Commons construction project team:
Freeman French Freeman of Burlington, architects
Dubois & King of Williston, structural engineer
L.N. Consulting of Winooski, Mechanical/Electrical Engineer
Donald L. Hamlin Consulting Engineers of Essex Junction, Civil Engineering & Permitting
SE Group of Burlington, landscape architect
PC Construction of Burlington, construction manager
Saint Michael's College is an Edmundite Catholic liberal arts college, www.smcvt.edu based in Colchseter, Vermont. Saint Michael's provides education with a social conscience, producing graduates with the intellectual tools to lead successful, purposeful lives that will contribute to peace and justice in our world. Founded in 1904 by the Society of St. Edmund and headed by President John J. Neuhauser, Saint Michael's College is located three miles from Burlington, Vermont, one of America's top college towns. Identified by the Princeton Review, 2013 as one of the nations Best 377 Colleges, and included in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013, Saint Michael's has 1,900 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students. Saint Michael's students and professors have received Rhodes, Woodrow Wilson, Pickering, Guggenheim, Fulbright, and other grants. The college is one of the nation's top-100, Best Liberal Arts Colleges as listed in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
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