Newsbriefs , Facilities Master Plan, College of Dupage

C.O.D. Receives Conservation and Native Landscaping Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Chicago Wilderness honored College of DuPage with the 2008 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award.

The award specifically cites the stormwater management system and landscaping that were implemented during the roadways, parking lots and associated landscaping project, which is part of the larger Facilities Master Plan at the college.

In 2003, Community College District 502 residents voted for a referendum that included new facilities, renovations to existing facilities and improvements to the infrastructure. The parking lot plan includes the use of bio-swales, which are depressions for the stormwater that also provide a place for native trees and plants to grow. Also, the campus received a net gain of more than 500 trees that will provide a lush canopy for years to come.

The use of prairie and native plants throughout the project ties into the college's renowned prairies, creating a unified vision and habitat that promotes the natural environment.

Rod Schlenker, deputy program manager, Rise Group, worked with project architect/engineer V3 and its principal and lead engineer, George Schober, and Peter Lindsay Schaudt, partner and landscape architect with HoerrSchaudt, in executing the plans.

"Many of us have concerns over the current state of our environment, so it has been exciting to be part of a project that has so many positive environmental features included in the design," said Angela Knoble, senior project manager, Facilities, College of DuPage. "It's especially nice when you are recognized with an award for the work that you've done."

Technical Education Center, Health and Science Center to Open in 2009
Tall Grass Road
Photo by Rich Malec

The new Health and Science Center (HSC) and Technical Education Center (TEC) are on schedule and on budget, with move-in dates for both buildings set for summer 2009.

The three-story, 180,000 square-foot HSC will house a combination of laboratory, classroom, office and instructional space for the Health Careers programs and Natural and Applied Sciences programs. The TEC, a three-story, 178,000 square-foot structure with an operational lower level, will house such programs as Architecture, Interior Design, Horticulture, Automotive Technology, Manufacturing, HVAC and Electro-Mechanical Technology.

Groundbreakings for both buildings took place in 2007, and excitement continues to grow as each facility takes shape.

"Both buildings will add so much to College of DuPage," explained John Wandolowski, College of DuPage director of Facilities, Planning and Construction/Operations and Maintenance. "The state-of-the-art facilities will give our students the best possible learning environments."

One project that links the current campus with the new campus is a pedestrian bridge that connects the Student Resource Center (SRC) with the HSC. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Wandolowski and Angela Knoble, project manager, Facilities, Planning and Construction, are planning ahead to the Berg Instructional Center (BIC) and SRC renovation projects, scheduled to get under way in September 2009. Once programs such as Welding and Automotive Technology are moved to the TEC from the BIC lower level, infrastructure work on a water main and fire protection system will commence, Knoble said. She also noted that this large-scale renovation project will be divided into phases.

Wandolowski said planning for ht BIC and SRC renovations "has been a real challenge and something C.O.D. should feel good about." He noted that the entire college community spent a lot of time planning for this complicated project.

Included as part of the BIC/SRC renovation is a new 65,000 square-foot College Center addition, which will be located on the north side of the BIC where the BIC and SRC connect. The new center will serve as a "front door" for the campus, housing such offices as Admissions and Information, Registration, Counseling and Advising, and Student Activities.

"In regards to the BIC/SRC project, the Board of Trustees has encouraged the construction team to rebuild these buildings right the first time," Wandolowski said. "The Rise Group (project managers) and Loebl, Schlossman & Hackl (architects) have met with every department and the Construction Leadership Team to create an excellent schematic design. I am very encouraged with our progress to date."

V3 Earns Engineering Excellence Award for Campus Design
V3 Companies of Illinois has received a Special Achievement designation from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL) for its campus redevelopment project at College of DuPage.

The honor came as a result of entry into ACEC-IL's 38th annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition. The college's recent overhaul to its parking, roadway and landscaping as part of the extensive Facilities Master Plan resulted in the selection for the Special Achievement designation.

"We've been working hard over the last few years to implement this project," said Angela Knoble, senior project manager, Facilities, College of DuPage. "There have been many inconveniences for students, staff and visitors. They've graciously worked with us, and now we can all be proud together of this award-winning project that is a result of these efforts."

In 2003, Community College District 502 residents voted for a referendum that included new facilities, renovations to existing facilities and improvements to the infrastructure.

Rod Schlenker, deputy program manager, Rise Group, worked with project architect/engineer V3 and its principal and lead engineer, George Schober, to create a plan that resulted in more green space, increased parking and better flow of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic throughout the college campus.

"Their focus on sustainable designs provided significant amounts of landscaping within the parking lots while still providing the parking needed to operate our facility," Knoble wrote in her nomination letter. "Their vision for a sense of place and an aesthetic that brings the surrounding natural environment throughout the campus has changed our understanding of what this campus can be."

The award is one of 12 Honor Awards, 14 Special Achievement Awards and 20 Merit Awards presented during this year's competition. Recipients will be recognized during the annual awards luncheon on Feb. 13 in Chicago.