From large scale projects like the Lakeside Village and new student services building to hurricane impact window replacements and classroom updates bringing the latest technology, renovations impact all aspects of campus life. Here are some of the most recent changes on the Coral Gables and marine campuses.
Lakeside Village – New Residential Hall
Construction crews remained hard at work on Lakeside Village, creating an integrated environment for learning, living, design, and sustainability that will launch next year. The new 550,000 square foot apartment and suite style student housing facility will contain 1,115 beds, retail space, food services, multi-purpose spaces, among other amenities. The 12-acre Lakeside Village is comprised of 25 interconnected buildings and a multitude of outdoor spaces, including a grand courtyard, study spots, recreational spaces, and outdoor terraces.
New Student Services building
A new structure on the Coral Gables campus will transform how students access vital campus services. The three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility will be home to a new “one-stop” center for student-facing service departments, the Camner Center for Academic Resources and the Counseling Center.
Hecht Athletic Center renovation
Following the launch of the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility in 2018, phase two and three of the Hecht Athletic Center project included the renovation of about 15,000 square feet of office and meeting room spaces. In addition to improving the workspaces and meeting rooms for coaches, staff, and graduate assistants, a new entrance and reception area was created to host student-athlete recruits and their parents. The weight room received new flooring, enhanced equipment, and branding.
Intramural fields upgrade
The intramural fields—located behind the Herbert Wellness Center—underwent a transformative upgrade. New irrigation lines and an improved drainage system will eliminate the collection of water and allow for uninterrupted use of the field year-round. The project also replaced the current field lights with LED lights, cutting the Center’s total energy usage by up to 50 percent. The fields are expected to be ready for use after the new sod has grown in.
Richter Library window replacement
As part of an ongoing University-wide effort by facilities to maintain the University’s physical infrastructure, the windows on the Otto G. Richter Library’s first, second, and third floors are being replaced with new hurricane impact windows. This update will enhance safety and weather resilience of the building, increase energy efficiency, and ensure normal building maintenance. Completed in 1962, the Richter Library is named after an ardent supporter of the University who made possible the construction of this building.
Architecture Building 48 window replacement
The windows and doors throughout the historic School of Architecture building 48 were replaced with new hurricane impact windows. Special care was taken to preserve the original structure, designed by South Florida's first registered female architect, Mirion Manley, in 1947 as part of a compound built to house the returning veterans of World War II. Building 48 was among the structures considered for their historical significance in 1983 when they were transformed into the offices, studios, and classrooms of today.
Volpe building window replacement
The windows and doors throughout the historic Arnold Volpe Music Building were replaced with new hurricane impact windows. Part of the Frost School of Music, the building was named after Arnold Volpe, a violinist, composer, and conductor who joined the University as a faculty member in 1926 at the request of Bowman Foster Ashe, the University’s first president, and Bertha Foster, the first dean of the School of Music. Volpe founded the University’s symphony orchestra and led its first concert on March 6, 1927.
Whitten Learning Center classroom upgrades
Twelve classrooms in the George E. Whitten Learning Center on the Coral Gables campus received a complete overhaul of the technology being utilized in the rooms. The changes range from new podiums to interactive monitors, and dual booted Mac computers (Windows 10 and Mac iOS operating systems available), which are used for presentations. Changes also include upgrades to make the space more functional and better able to host and record meetings and seminars. Some rooms will now allow users to connect wirelessly through Apple TV or Crestron Air Media devices. These classroom upgrades will serve the needs of students, faculty, staff, and external community members who use the spaces, which are managed by the Office of the University Registrar.
Rosenstiel scuba training pool
A new scuba training pool on the marine campus at Virginia Key will support the scientific diving and scuba training program at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
