Penn College News

Student and Administrative Center to Consolidate Key Services

Thursday, September 20, 2001

FACT SHEET Pennsylvania College of Technology Student and Administrative Services Center

The Student and Administrative Services Center, the first building to be constructed at the College's new main entrance on Maynard Street, will consolidate key student- and public-related services in a single campus location that is easily accessed by visitors.

Students and prospective students will be able to visit offices for Admissions, Financial Aid, the Advisement Center and the Registrar. They also will be well served by the location of offices such as Financial Operations, Student Accounts, Computer Services, Instructional Technology and Distance Learning and Residence Life in this building creating a "one-stop" system for serving students enrollment and scheduling needs.

Out-of-town guests arriving from Interstate 180 will find ample parking and easy access to offices in the new facility. Job applicants will be able to visit the Human Resources office, and the public and news media will find the new location of the Office of College Information and Community Relations quite convenient.

Upon completion of the Student and Administrative Services Center, the College will retrofit spaces in the Klump Academic Center and the Learning Resources Center to expand and enhance much-needed classroom space, faculty offices and the College Library.

The architectural design of the Student and Administrative Services Center departs from the traditional yellow-brick exterior found on many buildings on the Main Campus in favor of a high-tech, cast-stone-and-glass appearance. The interior of the facility is designed to make a positive first impression, with the lobby entrance, atrium and staircase serving as major features. The interior materials were selected to accent the high-tech facade. Murray Associates Architects of Harrisburg designed the facility.

Gross square footages for the building are as follows:

Basement (mechanical) 4,500

First Floor 31,500

Second Floor 26,000

Third Floor (unfinished) 16,800

Total 78,800

The calendar for the project is as follows:

Sept. 18 Received bids*

Sept. 20 Begin to award Contracts

Sept. 20 Groundbreaking

Sept. 28 Projected Start Date

Nov. 20, 2002 Completion

* The original date to receive bids was postponed due to the tragedy of Sept. 11.

Construction costs are estimated to be $9.8 million. The project is being paid for with proceeds from a $39 million bond issue that also funded extensive renovations to Lions Court and Bardo Gymnasium, continuing improvements to College West Apartments and the paving and lighting of gravel parking lots on West Third Street. The bond issue also enabled the College to repay the $7.65 million purchase cost of College West and to restructure prior debt.