In 2015, it caused the demolition of homes and a dormitory along Loomis Street. Last year it brought thunderous construction to a campus once filled with the soft sounds of suburbia. Now, North Central’s new science center is bringing you…delicious Au Bon Pain? Along with a slew of other features and innovations, yes indeed.
Rumors of a new science center have been circulating for a while now, with each incoming class eventually questioning whether they’ll be around to witness, and take advantage of, the new facility. But when did all this talk begin? Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Stephen Caliendo, has the answer.
“Around three years ago, right after President Hammond came,” said Caliendo. “When he was hired, an important part of what we expected was to get this facility built; it wasn’t too long after he arrived that plans began to develop.”
Though the project became a reality under President Troy Hammond, Caliendo mentioned how his predecessor, President Hal Wilde, was aware of the necessity for a new science center. As Wilde’s retirement approached, it became clear that this wasn’t a project he was going to be able to get underway. Nevertheless, the seed was clearly planted, and under President Hammond, began to grow.
Since its undertaking, one of the biggest inquiries about the science center has been cost. The sheer size and design alone would make any student or faculty member wonder about the price tag. Among involved faculty, the range seems to be $60 million, with fluctuation depending development and unforeseen costs. With such a high number, it’s unsurprising the college had to take a different financial approach.
“It is true that we took out a loan to help pay for construction of the science center, but that’s not uncommon for colleges to do, and not new for North Central,” said Caliendo.
Not uncommon indeed, though the move from planning to construction was premature by the college’s tradition. Historically, North Central’s trustees have been rather frugal with finances; a commonly mentioned “standard” required 90 percent of funding prior to any physical development being pursued. With the new science center that standard was not met, but according to Jeffrey Bjorklund, professor of chemistry at NCC, there were additional factors at play.
“With this building there was a sense of need, and with science buildings there is a unique expense you don’t see with others,” said Bjorklund. “They are more expensive than other academic buildings, so the typical rate you may raise money may not meet costs, as they are constantly rising; in five years you may raise a certain amount, but now the overall cost has risen.”
Now, having jumped the gun, new concerns arise: Will the college be able to pay off the loans? Is there enough money? How will this affect use of the center? To Bjorklund, while the concerns are present, they are not looming.
“I’m very confident in the development offices and the trustees; they’ve never bitten off more than they could deal with, and I don’t think they’ve stretched beyond their reach with this building,” said Bjorklund.
Having learned the history and dispelled the worries, one question remains: what is new about the new science center? Besides the highly anticipated Au Bon Pain restaurant, from which students can expect soup and sandwich choices similar to Panera Bread, the center promises to bring state-of-the-art equipment, increased classroom and laboratory size, and unique work spaces. For some, like junior John Kreckman, the simple size difference is enough.
“I’m most excited about the size of the building in general,” said Kreckman. “Kroehler is functional but it definitely needs to be updated.”
The sheer size of the center does do more than instill awe, and as Kreckman said, is worth getting excited about. Though technically the new “science” center, the building will accommodate beyond the students and faculty of traditional sciences such as biology, chemistry, and physics. Professor Jonathan Visick, head of the biology department, commented on this expected accommodation.
“The new center will allow us to bring together all the sciences and related subjects under one roof, increasing collaboration and interdisciplinary work,” said Visick.
Indeed, the new science center will serve as a home base for almost any field of study related to science, including psychology, computer science and even mathematics. Now, for those with a firm understanding of campus layout, a new question may be forming in your heads: if those departments move, what will happen to the building they’re in? For that matter, what’s happening to Kroehler, the current science center? Change appears to be trickling down from this new science center, and in fact, that is the plan.
The official name is Project Dominoes, and per Professor Caliendo, can be summarized the following way: “The science center is the first element in Project Dominoes. This spring break, mathematics, computer science and psychology will move into the new building, leaving Goldspohn empty. Goldspohn is going to house College of Arts and Science, political science, philosophy and communication and media studies. Once those moves are made, the entirety of the
Once those moves are made, the entirety of the theater department will move into Pfeiffer. Over the summer, biology, chemistry and physics will leave Kroehler, which will undergo renovations itself, and the college of business and entrepreneurship will move into a newly designed Kroehler center. That will leave Saints Peter and Paul Hall empty, which will in turn house students once again in the Fall.”
Simply put, for the new science center, speculations are grand and expectations high. Its impact will stretch across all majors and affect the entire campus, student and faculty alike. While there won’t be high-tech laboratory equipment you’d find at NASA, students can expect a spacious, friendly environment that breeds quality work and high academic focus, yet maintains a level of comfort attractive to all. And if studying or experiments aren’t your forte, perhaps the sweet scent of fresh baked pastries will guide you through the door.
