Bentley University has begun a ten year capital plan to modernize and expand the campus including renovating academic buildings and residence halls, building a new multipurpose arena, a health and wellness center and a new academic building.
Current major projects include:
Jennison Hall
Bentley teamed with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to renovate and expand Jennison Hall, one of the school’s primary and oldest classroom buildings which currently houses four science labs, faculty offices for the department of Natural and Applied Sciences (NAS), two learning labs and 37 classrooms.
The major renovation will transform the existing dark and tired classroom building into a dynamic new learning environment that will include renovated classroom and lab spaces with state-of-the-art technology and physical layouts that meet the teaching and learning requirements of a leading 21st century business university.
New collaboration spaces, called “collaboratories,” will promote team-based activities and encourage student interaction beyond the typical classroom. The project also provides redesigned offices for the NAS faculty and staff. The portico facing the library will also be transformed to house Academic Services for both graduate and undergraduate students. The project began in May 2016 with interior demolition work and will finish in time for spring 2017 classes.
Koumantzelis Auditorium
Bentley partnered with MDS Architects to refresh the auditorium and enhance the venue’s functionality. The upgrades include a new ceiling to accommodate a new HVAC system, upgraded lighting, new seating and carpet, newly designed aisle ramps to allow for handicap seating and improved ADA accessibility, as well as a reconfigured stage for a more traditional and functional layout. Construction began June 2016 and is expected to be completed late August 2016.
Tree Dorms
The Cedar and Elm buildings are undergoing renovations that include new flooring and paint in the lobby, corridors and all public areas; sanding and repainting of all stairs, guardrails and existing doors; and new shower stalls. The existing laundry room will receive upgrades to the walls, floors and plumbing. The existing heat pumps in the rooms and corridor unit heaters will be upgraded to provide greater efficiency.
On the exterior, new energy-efficient windows will be installed, masonry supports will be replaced, concrete canopies reinforced, and the masonry repainted. The existing roof will be replaced with new soffits/gutters and snow guards. Construction is underway with an expected completion date of August 2016.
Bookstore in Collins Hall
The existing HVAC systems will be upgraded with a new chiller, fan coil units throughout the first floor, and new controls to better manage the temperatures within the spaces. The Barnes and Noble team will also do cosmetic upgrades within their space including flooring, paint, lighting and repositioning merchandise. The work is expected to be complete mid-August 2016.
Athletic Fields
Both of the university’s synthetic athletic fields were replaced in June with Greenfields Evolution XP surface, including the primary recreational field which is used for football and the second field used for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. In addition, a new score board was added as well as extra synthetic turf surface to host events in the far end zone.
Multipurpose Arena
The university also teamed with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to design a new, multipurpose arena located on campus for large scale events including seminars, concerts, and guest speakers; the building will also simultaneously serve as an ice hockey arena, providing Bentley’s NCAA Division 1 hockey team a much-needed home rink. Since 1977, the team has used the John A. Ryan Arena in Watertown.
Over the past year, a working group appointed by the president has carefully studied the feasibility of building this long-proposed multipurpose arena on campus. It will be funded by a combination of private gifts and operating reserves and will feature approximately 2,000 fixed seats that can also accommodate up to 3,400 people when using the removable floor atop the ice.
The building will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification requirements for sustainable design, construction and operations; features include a solar-panel roof, high-efficiency lighting and water-saving bathroom fixtures.
The location for the venue is on Bentley’s south campus at the present site of the tennis courts. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016 with an anticipated opening in early 2018.
The new health and wellness center is tentatively scheduled for year five of the 10 year plan; the academic building is planned for year nine.
Check the Bentley website for updates on current major projects as they become available.