Construction of the Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center and plans for the College's new visual arts center remain on schedule despite economic challenges and criticism from Hanover residents, according to College administrators involved with the projects.
In light of the country's current economic crisis, the College intends to review plans for both the $93 million Life Sciences Center and the $52 million visual arts center, according to Mary Gorman, associate provost and executive officer at the College. The review is more likely to impact the visual arts center because the Life Sciences Center has already received a significant amount of funding from the Class of 1978, she said.
Construction on the Life Sciences Center began in September. After a year of delays due to injunctions filed by Hanover residents, it is now on schedule to open in August 2011, according to Matt Purcell, associate director of the Office of Planning, Design and Construction.
The center, located next to Dartmouth Medical School, will replace Gilman Hall as the home of the biology department. The building, designed to be environmentally sustainable, will contain a greenhouse as well as faculty offices, research and teaching laboratories and numerous classrooms, including a 200-seat auditorium, Purcell said.
"Right now we are doing mass excavation on the site, preparing the foundation for construction," Purcell said. "This will continue through the winter."
The construction process will have two phases and require two permits, Purcell explained. The project is currently in the first phase, which involves the construction of the foundation and new infrastructure, including sidewalks and lighting, as well as the relocation of the Advance Transit bus stop. The second phase includes the construction of the building itself, he said.
Several faculty and staff at DMS said they have been inconvenienced by the construction around the complex, which has made certain entrances inaccessible and created added noise.
Construction on the center was originally scheduled to begin in November 2007 but the Occom Pond Neighborhood Association filed a lawsuit, challenging the Hanover Planning Board's approval of the College's plans. On July 2, the Grafton Superior Court found in favor of the College and OPNA did not appeal to the state Supreme Court.
"We had a very positive meeting with the neighbors two weeks ago and now we can really get the construction going," Gorman said.
The new visual arts center also faced criticism from Hanover residents after the most recent design for the complex was released this summer. No changes have been made to the design of the building, however, and preparations are being made for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Lebanon Street site next fall, Gorman said.
Members of Dartmouth's Liaison Committee, which serves as a link between the College and Hanover residents, had described the building as "too urban" for Hanover and not appropriate for the campus, according to a July article in The Dartmouth.
"Right now we are going through planning and applying for permits late this winter and early spring," Gorman said.
"We have heard feedback but we are very pleased with the design, though we've really been working on the landscaping around the building," she added, referring to the Arts Plaza, a park near the building's entrance that is included in the current design plans.
Construction of the center is critical to the development of the arts at Dartmouth, Gorman said, because the studio art department's current space is too small and falling into disrepair. The visual arts center will have studios and classrooms designed specifically for different visual arts disciplines.
The new space will also be home to the department of film and media studies, which is currently dispersed in several buildings. Building plans include editing rooms and a 250-seat theater.
Work will start next fall with the demolition of Clement and Brewster Halls. Studio art classes will temporarily move to 4 Currier Place, a three-story commercial building, which is currently under construction but expected to be completed by summer 2009.
