Principal Building and Open Space Projects
The adjoining plan illustrates the projects in the context of the existing campus. The projects range in scale from roadway improvements to the 167,000 square foot Performing Arts and Humanities Building. Each project reinforces the salient elements of the Campus Framework, as well as the Campus Land Use and Open Space Plans.
Click here to enlarge the Illustrative Campus Plan.
Two projects are currently underway: the Performing Arts and Humanities Building and the Patapsco Hall Addition. Both of these projects are expected to break ground in the summer of 2010. Both also are designed to address adjoining exterior spaces, with appropriate landscape and open space elements.
The remainder of the projects are grouped by type, with academic buildings first. There are two additional new academic projects and five renovations; two new residential projects and three renovations; two student centered projects; an athletics project; and several roadway, infrastructure and parking projects.
Together the projects add 969,000 gross square feet of buildings (not including parking structures) and will add 642 beds to the campus inventory. The new construction, renovations of existing buildings, site work and utility upgrades and parking structures have been calculated to cost $874.6 million in 2009 dollars. Collectively, the facilities support UMBC’s Vision – to be the best public research university of our size.
PROJECTS UNDERWAY
Performing Arts and Humanities Building
Design is underway for a proposed 166,789 GSF / 88,883 NASF facility which will house the performing arts and various academic units in the humanities. The construction of the Performing Arts and Humanities Building will play a large and essential role in our general curriculum, fully integrating learning in both the arts and sciences. The facility will house classroom and lab space for several departments, like English, that have mandatory classes for Freshman students, ensuring a high degree of use by all students. Click for larger image.
The University plans to begin Phase I construction in July 2010. The90,184 GSF / 45,435 NASF building will provide a 275-seat theatre, a 100-seat black box theatre, studios and classrooms, and writing labs for the departments of Theatre and English. Space will be provided for the Dresher Center for the Humanities, the Linehan Artist Scholarship program and the Arts Management office. The campus’ central plant will be expanded and distribution lines extended to support the utility requirements of this new facility.
UMBC is awaiting funding approval to construct the Phase II, a 76,605 GSF / 43,448 NASF building for the departments of Music, Dance, Ancient Studies, and Philosophy. The facility will provide a 350-seat concert hall, a 100-seat dance studio, recording studios, instrument ensemble room, classrooms, as well as an archaeology laboratory.
The Performing Arts and Humanities Building will provide an appropriate environment for students to not only be formally and informally involved in the development and production of performances, but otherwise gain exposure to the arts through cross-disciplinary activities. This project is central to supporting the University’s mission to offer academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation.
For updates on the construction of the Performing Arts and Humanities Building refer to the website www.umbc.edu/pahf.
Patapsco Hall Addition
Patapsco Hall, constructed in the 1970’s will have a new wing, providing additional meeting and study spaces in addition to 189 additional beds. The project will also provide elevator access to all of the rooms of the original building, create a new fore-court for True Grit’s (the newly renovated dining facility), and provide much needed recreation facilities. The Patapsco Hall Addition is expected to be completed by Fall 2011. Click for larger image.
This addition will facilitate the renovation of the residential communities of West Hill, Hillside and Terrace Apartments through sequential phases, without a loss of total beds on campus. The project will not add housing capacity to the campus until all three of these residential communities are renovated.
ACADEMIC PROJECTS
Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building and The Commons Plaza
The new Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building will provide 123,000 GSF of flexible and adaptable research and education spaces to support on-going and future interdisciplinary life science programs requiring labs, offices, and support space. In order to address the deteriorating condition of the campus’ current animal housing facilities and a campus-wide deficit for research space, this project will construct a new vivarium as a central resource for all of the campus’ research and academic programs involving animal use protocols. Click for larger image 1. Click for larger image 2.
This academic building will replace the one-story Theater and Academic Services Building and will bridge between the two academic zones to the east and west of The Commons. The project will enhance a key campus plaza, balancing pedestrian use and circulation with the service needs of The Commons. The impact of service vehicles will be mitigated with appropriate paving, plantings and other design features, creating a new student-oriented plaza consistent with the campus Open Space Plan.
Global Studies and Culture Building Renovation
Upon completion of the Performing Arts and Humanities Building, the 41-year old Fine Arts building 
will be sufficiently vacated (as academic programs relocate to the new building) to permit its phased renovation. This adaptive reuse, facilities renewal project will include replacement and upgrade of mechanical, electrical, and life safety systems; restoration of the building envelope; correction of barriers to accessibility; and architectural modifications for a number of academic programs. In order
to correct life safety deficiencies and building circulation problems, a 33,000 GSF addition is proposed between the two building wings, creating a new entrance to the building oriented to the new Performing Arts and Humanities Building and the campus beyond.
Concurrent to this project will be a much needed renovation of the Pond. The Pond is one of the most important pieces of the campus storm water management system. It is also a central feature of the campus. This renovation project is envisioned to include the design of the green space around the Pond in order to make this a more accessible and attractive feature of the campus. Click for larger image.
Multi-disciplinary Academic Building
To address additional campus-wide space deficits for classrooms, and teaching and research laboratories, a new 148,000 GSF Multi-disciplinary Academic Building is proposed adjacent to the Physics Building. The four story structure will reinforce the quadrangle created by the Public Policy Building and the Physics Building and will share a service area with the latter. The space model projects needs for additional laboratory and general classroom space to accommodate increased enrollment delineated in the planning scenario .Click for larger image.
University Learning Center
This project will renovate the 68,900 GSF University Center, originally built as a student union and in the heart of the academic core of the campus, into the University Learning Center. The current deficit of space, especially for teaching, limits the university’s ability to adequately serve different pedagogies and instructional styles. National trends have moved towards student-centered, integrated, flexible, active learning modalities which require higher instructor to student ratios in technology-equipped environments. Furthermore, national data ties student success to programs which provide on-demand tutoring and informal group learning centers.
With the completion of this capital facilities renewal project, the newly renovated University Learning Center will provide a central location for: new general purpose classrooms to serve the entire campus community; active learning teaching studios for courses such as introductory chemistry, math, physics, and biology; one-on-one and group tutoring rooms; an intensive English language program center; disability support services; and other related student services. In this way, the proposed project will address the lack of appropriate and functional interactive teaching and learning support spaces to ensure student success at UMBC. Click here for larger image.
Building Renewals
Four existing campus buildings house a majority of the general purpose classrooms and teaching labs on campus and are scheduled for major renovations. These include Sondheim Hall (built in 1973), the Math/Psychology Building (built in 1969), a wing of the Biological Sciences Building (built in 1983), and the Academic IV Building, (dates from 1980). These buildings are nearing the end of their useful life. Without significant renewal, continued operation will not be functional or economically feasible. Click for larger image.
UMBC proposes a systematic approach to renewal of these buildings through the replacement and upgrade of mechanical, electrical, and life safety systems; restoration of building envelope; and modest architectural modifications to correct barriers to accessibility, improve building functionality, and enhance public spaces. The sequencing of these major facilities renewal projects has been adjusted to follow the completion of the New Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building project. Due to limited availability of surge space and the critical nature of maintaining a functioning animal housing facility, the campus must implement a phased renovation tied to the construction of a new vivarium and additional interdisciplinary life science research space.
The Math/Psychology Building renovation is critically needed to address deteriorating building conditions, such as a failing roof, brick cladding failure, and deficient teaching facilities due to dated technology. The Sondheim Hall renovation project will upgrade the envelope and replace mechanical, electrical, and life safety system components in support of academic programs. The Academic IV renovation project will refurbish one of the campus’ primary teaching buildings through upgrade of the building’s infrastructure, renewal of public spaces, and modernization of general purpose classrooms and teaching labs.
STUDENT LIFE PROJECTS
Student Services/Student Life Building
The construction of The Commons in 2003 created a central focus for student activity on campus, grouping student services, meeting spaces, lounges and dining facilities. Its success has put strains on the facility and as the campus grows new student life spaces are needed. Complimenting The Commons, the 100,000 GSF Student Services/Student Life Building will consolidate currently scattered student services and finally find an appropriate home for facilities that have been housed in temporary sheds.
The Student Services/Student Life Building is sited to reinforce the “student centered” core of the campus and to frame the main campus open space or green. This space will be the iconic open space for the campus, reinforcing the Campus Framework Plan. In addition, the building will be designed to retain a critical play field adjacent to Erickson Hall and reinforcing the campus pedestrian Spine. Click here to enlarge image.
UMBC Stadium Renovation
The UMBC Stadium Complex renovation project will improve the existing bleachers, press boxes, restrooms and concession areas of the existing stadium, built in 1976. These modifications will bring stadium facilities up to the level of UMBC’s divisional peers, while providing for handicapped accessible services that are not currently available.
UMBC Events Center
The proposed UMBC Events Center will be a 200,000 GSF building, housing a series of flexible meeting rooms and a large multi-purpose gathering space that can serve for student events, regional performances, convocation, and as a new athletic arena for the University. The main space will have flexible seating configurations for 6,000 to 8,000, with adequate support facilities such as concessions, a box office and athletic program offices and training rooms. The building will also have meeting and assembly spaces of a variety of sizes, with appropriate technologies meeting the needs of a broad array of activities. Click here to enlarge image.
This building will serve the UMBC campus in many ways. It will give our campus the ability to host events and meetings, including convocation/commencement ceremonies that currently cannot be hosted on campus for lack of facilities. Site improvements include pedestrian improvements to traverse Hilltop Circle, providing greater access to the UMBC Stadium Complex beyond.
RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
New Walker Avenue Residential Community
This project develops a new residential community along Walker Avenue that would add an additional 342 beds to the campus residential inventory. The community is sited to reinforce the approach from Wilkens Avenue, enhancing the street environment of Walker Avenue, one of the important portals to both the campus core and to other residential life facilities. The community will replace the greenhouses that occupy this important corner of the campus and will take advantage of the sloping site with a landscaped, terraced courtyard, screening the Central Plant facility and framing the Walker Avenue/Hilltop Circle intersection.
Chesapeake Hall Addition
A new addition to Chesapeake Hall will provide 120 additional beds to the residential building and will vastly improve access and handicapped accessibility. The project will create a new lobby at the sidewalk level and provide elevator access to all rooms of the hall, that currently are not accessible above the first floor.
The addition will frame and develop two new residential courts, one green and informal to the south and one more interactive to the north, with benches, grills, and tables and paving.
Click here to enlarge image.