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6/9/08 USF St. Petersburg Goes Green with New Science
and Tech Building
On June 5th, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at 2nd Street S and 7th Avenue S in front of Davis Hall in the parking
lot of USF campus, the footprint location of a new LEED certified Science
and Technology building.
Several guest speakers were on hand for the distinguished
honor, including: Regional Chancellor, Karen White; Mayor Rick Baker; USF
President, Judy Genshaft; Senator Charlie Justice; Florida Legislator, Bill
Heller; as well as Council Chairman, James Bennett.
Phase I of the 35,000 square foot building will encompass 6,500
square feet dedicated to four teaching labs on the second floor. Research
labs will be shared with the College of Marine Science, and eight
classrooms on the first floor each will have space for 50 to 60
students. Construction begins this summer with a projected completion
date of Fall 2009. Future plans of the parking lot site include a Phase II
addition to the initial Science and Technology building, which would total
its footprint to more than 80,000 square feet.
The $9 million Science and Technology building of Phase I will
broaden academic and research opportunities for students in sectors of
chemistry, biology, and environmental science –courses that support a
new pre-health track for undergraduates. The research facilities will also
support the new graduate degree in Environmental Science, Policy and
Geography, a master’s program that started in Fall 2007. Its
construction materials and design are aimed to meet the standards of LEED
certification and represents the first LEED in the USF system.
The
development project signifies a five year expansion and property
acquisition project of the university totaling a $51 million investment in
downtown St. Petersburg.
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