Syracuse University advances summer dorm, academic building construction
Syracuse University is moving forward with several summer construction projects as part of two major strategic initiatives. The plans include the construction of a new residence hall and demolishing the Comstock Avenue parking garage. Avery Magee | Asst. Photo Editor
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Syracuse University is continuing construction projects tied to its strategic initiatives this summer. The university is expanding its main campus housing options as well as upgrading its science, technology, engineering and mathematics centers.
The changes, led by the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction, are intended to improve on-campus housing and academic infrastructure, Vice President and Chief Campus Facilities Officer Pete Sala said in a Friday afternoon campus-wide email.
Following its first year as a dormitory, Orange Hall has entered its second phase of renovations. The next phase will focus on student room upgrades and the addition of floor lounges, Sala wrote.
At 544 University Place, across from the E.M. Mills Rose Garden, site work and foundation construction for a new residence hall are underway as demolition and site clearing have already begun. The new dormitory plans to house approximately 570 students.
Demolition of the Comstock Avenue Garage is scheduled for early this summer to prepare for future construction, while the cleared site of the former Kimmel and Marion halls on Waverly Avenue is set for development later this summer.
These projects are part of SU’s broader Campus Framework, a 20-year plan aimed at enhancing the campus’s physical environment. Since the beginning of SU Chancellor Kent Syverud’s tenure, he’s hoped to phase out South Campus student housing and move students to main campus.
The former Biological Research Laboratory at 100 Sims Drive is also being converted into the “new home” for the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the email states.
The Center for Science and Technology, located in the Life Sciences Complex, will house the Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, with construction expected to be completed in August. Additionally, a new “active learning” classroom next to the Campos Student Center and graduate student spaces is slated for completion in the early fall, according to the email.
In Link Hall, construction is underway in three key areas to support the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The additions include upgrades to mechanical engineering and dry laboratories, along with expanded Ph.D. and graduate student workspaces.
Utility upgrades, including electrical consolidation and steam maintenance, are planned throughout the summer. Sala wrote that the maintenance will have minimal impact on campus operations. Preparations are also being made for infrastructure changes related to the I-81 project, according to the email.
Other ongoing projects include the addition of the Catholic Center Chapel, scheduled for completion this fall, and continued work at the Physics Building in support of the Quantum Technology Center. Roof replacements at Watson Hall are also planned for the summer, according to the email.
Students, faculty and staff with construction-related questions can contact the CPDC at cpdc@syr.edu.
