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Inside Furman is published monthly during the school year by the Furman University Department of Marketing and Public Relations. For story ideas, e-mail John Roberts, editor.
Hipp Hall under way
Construction
on North Village III, Central Plant and recreation field to occur this summer
The chain link fences are up and the grading equipment is on campus. The anticipated construction of Herman N. Hipp Hall has begun.
Announced in 1998, construction of the building was delayed after trustees and the Hipp family agreed to revisit the design of the academic hall, making it more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
The "greening" of Hipp Hall will likely produce the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building in South Carolina. The U.S. Green Building Council, a national group of building industry leaders that encourages the construction of energy-efficient buildings, developed the LEED Green Buildings Rating System. The "green certification" is awarded to buildings that meet strict environmental standards.
Mary Pat Crozier, capital construction manager, says Hipp Hall is being designed to focus on several LEED topics including building materials, construction waste management, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and occupant comfort and health. Construction should take 14 to 18 months to complete. Furman is targeting fall 2002 for occupancy.
The two-and-a-half story, 38,000-square-foot building will house the university's departments of Education and Economics and Business Administration as well as the Rushing Center for Advanced Technology, Continuing Education and Graduate Studies.
In addition to Hipp Hall, other ongoing building and renovation projects include:
o Montague Village. Designers are working on reconfiguration plans for Montague Village to house administrative offices. Renovation of the student apartments could begin later this year. Marketing and Public Relations will be relocated to the complex within the year to make room for the renovation and expansion of the James B. Duke Library. Other departments may also be relocated to Montague, but a final list has not been determined.
o North Village. Work on buildings J and K of the apartment complex is progressing and is scheduled to be completed late this summer. The addition will allow 95 percent of Furman's 2,600 students to live on campus. The buildings will house 168 students, plus seminar and conference space.
o Athletic Building. Renovation plans for the basement of the building include the addition of locker rooms for softball, women's track and the women coaches. Bathrooms and shower facilities will be updated, and an enhanced study area will be created for all athletes. Construction work could begin this summer.
o Central Plant. Workers have completed pipe installation for the new central plant. Construction on this complex, which will house the chillers, is scheduled to be completed later this year. The building will be located adjacent to the Facilities Services complex.
o Recreation Field. The site of the old softball complex will be converted to a student recreational field during the summer. Excavated material from the construction of Hipp Hall will be used to construct the new athletic field.