August 19, 2004
Renewal of critical buildings sought
The UW has embarked on a program to seek funding from the state for renewing 16 critical buildings over the next 10 to 15 years. Restoring the core of the institution will be focused on those buildings that provide classrooms, faculty offices and some laboratories.
The Board of Regents has approved the capital budget proposal that embodies this plan.
Building renewal is being guided by the Building Restoration & Renewal Prioritization Study, completed in June by an ad hoc committee appointed by Acting Provost David Thorud. The study identified as “critical” those buildings with a backlog of repair and improvement needs which, if done incrementally, would exceed the building’s replacement value.
“In evaluating whether to demolish or renovate,” the report says, “
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Only one building on the list, the Brooklyn Building, is proposed for demolition. The University plans to use Condon Hall for surge space, so that buildings can be vacated during restoration and renewal.
“The University of Washington program for capital expenditures is balanced between renewal of existing structures and planning for growth in research and enrollment,” says Colleen Pike, acting director of the Capital and Space Planning Office. “As the University moves forward with the phased restoration strategy, growth can be accommodated by new construction at the Bothell, Tacoma and Seattle campuses.”
The UW Seattle campus, like many campuses around the country, faces a significant challenge in maintaining its existing facilities. Many of the buildings that play a crucial role in education are old.
Indeed, according to the report, at least 60 percent of the state-owned Seattle campus buildings were built before 1960. The normal life expectancy of the major building systems is around 30 years, after which basic infrastructure — including ventilation, electrical systems and plumbing — is likely to need replacement. Moreover, buildings constructed more than 40 years ago were not built with modern computers in mind.
“Restoring the core of the University will require a big series of ongoing investments,” Pike says. “The plan is to have several of these buildings in construction at any given time over the next 10 to 15 years.”
The other major need for space is driven by the University’s research enterprise. Currently, three major projects are under way in Seattle: a research and technology building on the west edge of campus property, a bioengineering and genome sciences building in south campus, and a new facility for medical research in south Lake Union (which will be leased from Vulcan Inc.). Together, these facilities will add nearly 1 million square feet of space for research.
“The University expects its research activity to continue to grow in the coming years, although perhaps not at the pace it enjoyed over the past decade,” says Harlan Patterson, vice provost for planning and budgeting. “Growth of research facilities is likely to occur both on land owned by the UW and property in the South Lake Union area,” he says.
The UW also is interested in being a good neighbor and a partner in the revitalization of the University District. “While the University is unlikely to initiate major projects that would result in significant changes in land use, it is interested in participating in projects that can improve the business climate and overall working environment of the neighborhood,” says Theresa Doherty, assistant vice president for regional affairs.
Although the future success of the University’s ability to receive research funding is impossible to predict, given its track record in competing for research funding, the University expects to have one or two construction projects for research purposes in various stages of development at any given time over the next decade, Patterson says. “Development will occur in a phased way, when there is sufficient demonstrated need to assure that additional capacity is necessary.”
While the state realizes significant benefits from the UW’s research enterprise, both direct and indirect, funding for future buildings that meet the UW’s research needs is unlikely to come from the state, Patterson notes. Indeed the three current projects under way are not state funded. Based upon recent trends, the UW expects future research buildings to be funded chiefly by revenues from research and from private gifts designated for that purpose.
UW enrollment growth is expected primarily at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma. The University will seek funds from the state to expand those institutions, which together currently serve about 3,600 students. About 20 percent of the UW’s current biennial capital budget is targeted at paving the way for increased access. This includes land acquisition for future development in Tacoma, and planning for better freeway access at Bothell.
The UW has been a pioneer in utilizing the new options granted under state law for managing capital projects. These innovations promise to reduce the total cost of building operations over their useful life.
That new research and technology building on the west edge of the campus is the first public academic laboratory in the state to be bid as a design/build/operate/maintain project and the University believes it will become a showcase for how to do this successfully. This approach has been received enthusiastically by the contracting community, with more than 50 inquiries received during the request for proposals process, according to Pike.
“Design/build/operate/maintain projects represent a fundamental change in culture and philosophy concerning construction at the University, and hold the promise of delivering an excellent research facility for costs that are predictable,” Pike says.
The UW also constructs buildings that are “sustainable,” which means meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The University has an impressive track record for resource conservation and for the success of its recycling programs. “Green” improvements have been incorporated into the University’s facility design manual, and one project consisting of two separate buildings is currently certified at a Silver level by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system. In addition, five more projects currently completed or in the design/construction phase are planned to achieve LEED certification.
