By Shawn Ness | October 24, 2021
With a few new renovations planned for the quads on campus, here’s what to expect. Some renovations will be coming to Colonial Quad (Paine and Zenger halls) as well as a smaller project on State Quad. On Colonial, Paine Hall, Zenger Hall, and the dining hall area beneath the living areas, lounge, and flag room, will be undergoing a full renovation, costing $43 million.
This renovation is a follow-up to a 2016 renovation on Herkimer hall, which earned a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification. According to Associate Director on Communications Michael Parker, it is estimated that after this renovation, the building now uses “25% less energy and 46% less potable water than a baseline code-compliant building.”
Parker stated that the use of recycled material was central to the project: “the environmental and indoor air quality impact of the materials used on the project was improved by achieving 20% recycled contents in materials, 63% regional materials, 67% FSC-certified wood, and low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coating and flooring systems.”
The renovations will replace ceilings and floors, and furniture will be provided to Delancy, Clinton, and Morris halls, according to Parker. These additions will also address some student complaints made apparent in a petition in late September.
The renovations come after Beverwyck and Schuyler halls, on Dutch Quad, received a full renovation costing $34 million. This project converted the dining hall into the new Health and Counseling Services facility, which temporarily moved off-campus while its old home in the Hudson Building was under construction. According to University Spokesman Jordan Carleo-Evangelist, UAlbany has spent over $250 million on major residence halls and apartment renovations over the last decade.
Similar to Herkimer, that project got a LEED Gold Certification in April. It was estimated that the building used “23% less energy and 43 % less potable water than a baseline code-compliant building.” According to Parker, “The project diverted 90 percent of the construction waste from landfills by recycling and/or salvaging materials. The environmental and indoor air quality impact of the materials used on the project was improved by achieving 20 percent recycled contents in materials, 30 percent regional materials, and low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coating, and flooring systems.”
According to Parker, to determine what areas of the university are in need of renovations, the Office of Facilities Management conducts studies to guide investment decisions of both repairs and budget. The OFM commissioned “‘master plans’ to guide renovations, upgrades and new projects for extended timeframes,” Parker said, The most recent facilities master plan (FMP) was commissioned in 2012 and was designed to run through 2023.”
Renovations are determined based on regular upkeep, as well as making sure old buildings are being renovated to match the style of new buildings, and designed to use less energy, according to Parker.
State Quad will be receiving lighting upgrades and dining hall upgrades, although Parker said the start date for this project is yet to be determined.