THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY Brower Student Center Feasibility & Programming Study Workshop 2– April 30, 2013.

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY Brower Student Center Feasibility & Programming Study Workshop 2– April 30, 2013

1. Review of Workshop # 2 Agenda

2. Preliminary Observations from Workshop #1

3. Program Drivers and Building Scenarios

4. Current Building Space and Program Allocation

5. Building Assessment

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

Meeting Agenda and Goals

1: Review of Workshop #2 Agenda

Schedule

PHASE I

Workshop #1

Workshop #2

TCNJ REVIEW

PHASE II

Workshop #3

Workshop #4

TCNJ REVIEW

PHASE III

Workshop #5

APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST

Vision, goals, priorities

Program components

Adjacency requirements

Program and Feasibility Recommendations• Vision and Goals Summary• Programmatic Drivers and Alternative Scenarios• Cost Model: Conceptual Alternatives• Expansion and Renovation Opportunities

2: Preliminary Observations from Workshop #1

Preliminary Observations:

• Steering Committee’s project priorities acknowledged by all groups

• Consistency and alignment of vision across groups on perceived needs

• Recognition of the significance/role of BSC as a focus of student life

• Consensus on the need for upgrade of program alternatives and

facilities/operations infrastructure

• Consensus on current space design promoting territorial behavior and separation

Preliminary WS1 Observations

Emerging Themes: Issues

• BSC: All Business, All the Time, need a place to relax (Stress)

• Best of Student Life at TCNJ not at BSC: Library (lounge, meeting, work study, hang

out), Alumni Grove (chance meeting, hang out in good weather, place to see

people), School of Education (technology, group study), Rez Halls (comfort, living

room, informal meeting, social time)

• Social areas, working areas, resource centers need to be reinterpreted to promote

student integration (greek life, diverse groups, commuter population)

• Space allocation contradicts building’s/college’s mission: student life happens in

spite of the building

• Building spaces do not adapt to use patterns (too small at peak time, too large at

quiet times)

• Building and spaces are cryptic. Programming succeeds through social media,

personal outreach

• Perception of difficulty of access to space (ease of reservations, lack of

spontaneity, general programming awareness)

Emerging Themes

Emerging Themes: Program Drivers

• Strong demand for Event Spaces (Ballroom, Multi Purpose, flexible meetings)

• Bigger capacity for events in banquet setting (500-600), 1,200+ Lecture-style, need

for medium-size (100-200 people) spaces for most flexible program options

• Strong demand for group study areas to reinforce meeting outside classroom

• Coffee place and extended food option to support lounges, group study areas

• Desire for Impulse/Spontaneous gathering spaces, furnishings to promote

alternatives

• Not necessarily bigger but different, more open, visible, secured and shared

Student Organization spaces

• Reinterpret Multi Cultural spaces, integrate “Commuter Lounge” to “Common

Lounge”

• Offices in the building: Dean of Students a must

Emerging Themes

Emerging Themes: Space and Character

• Make the BSC WELCOMING

• Open the building up to the campus and the views: provide WINDOWS, turn the

building inside-out

• Bring light in. Open up the many dark, hidden spaces

• Improve Air Quality, personal comfort control

• Improve ACOUSTICS

• Better space navigation, visibility, connections and wayfinding (STAIRS)

• The building is too much of a Pass-Through, bring destinations, purpose to the

pedestrian street through the building

• Take advantage of outdoor spaces, bring dining, social spaces outside

• Bring COMFORT, transform BSC into a living room

• Got outlets, Will work-study

• Collaborative spaces, different seating, whiteboards

• Extend use hours, be able to lock down the building incrementally, safely

Emerging Themes

2.1: Workshop #1 Working & User Groups

Workshop #1 Summary of User Group Discussion

1. The student center should be the hub of campus, a destination

2. Families & prospective students are looking for a vibrant student center

3. The living room of campus

4. Inviting & warm

5. A showcase of student work/art/achievement

6. A place for fun, to hang out in

7. A place to escape from the stress of academics

8. Wellness should be part of the building

9. Student groups should learn to collaborate here

Vision and Goals

Workshop #1 Summary of User Group Discussion

1. The building is something you pass through not stop in

2. Meeting space, large space in particular is inadequate and typically booked well in advance

3. The building is not inclusive, groups are separate & too scattered throughout the building

4. Student groups do not have adequate space to meet and many groups don’t have any space at all

5. Terrible outdoor space

6. The building does not look like TCNJ

7. The Lion’s Den is packed & chaotic at lunch time and lines are long

8. There’s no casual study space in the building

9. Lounges are not comfortable

10. Multi purpose room is extremely popular but doesn’t work well – events on campus are limited due to its size and availability

11. There is no late night café

12. There are no windows in much of the building

13. The Rathskeller needs updating and improvements badly

Building issues

3: Program Drivers and Building Scenarios

Balanced program emphasis, builds upon existing foundation

Emphasis on Student Organizations, Resources, Social Spaces

Program Drivers and Building ScenariosAlternatives

1

2

3

Emphasis on Meeting and Event Programming Alternatives

Larger Ballroom, Multi-Purpose Room, Theater, Meeting Space Suite (SM, M, L), Enhanced Catering, Pre-function/Lounge Areas

Medium Ballroom, Flexible Multi-Purpose Room, Improved Meeting Space Suite, Café/Alternative late hour food service, Lounges

Increased Organizations and Student Resource Space, Group Study, Improved Collaborative Meeting, Additional Lounges, Flexible Multi-Purpose Room, Café Café/Alternative late hour food service

Balanced program emphasis, builds upon existing foundation

Emphasis on Student Organizations, Resources, Social Spaces

Program Drivers and Building ScenariosAlternatives

1

2

3

Emphasis on Meeting and Event Programming Alternatives

Larger Ballroom, Multi-Purpose Room, Theater, Meeting Space Suite (SM, M, L), Enhanced Catering, Pre-function/Lounge Areas

Medium Ballroom, Flexible Multi-Purpose Room, Improved Meeting Space Suite, Café/Alternative late hour food service, Lounges

Increased Organizations and Student Resource Space, Group Study, Improved Collaborative Meeting, Additional Lounges, Flexible Multi-Purpose Room, Café Café/Alternative late hour food service

Renovation and

Expansion

NewConstruction

4: Current Building Space and Program Allocation

Current Building Space and Program AllocationExisting Program

BOOKSTORE7786 sf

STUDENT SPACES8620 sf

STORAGE/SERVICES2695 sf

ADMINISTRATION4376 sf

MEETING RMS9413 sf

LOUNGE8420 sf

CIRCULATION/MECHANICAL22290 sf

FOOD SERVICE11675 sf

90,000 GSF52,605 NSF PROGRAM

58% EFFICIENT

Current Building Space and Program AllocationExisting Program

BOOKSTORE7786 sf

STUDENT SPACES8620 sf

STORAGE/SERVICES2695 sf

ADMINISTRATION4376 sf

MEETING RMS9413 sf

LOUNGE8420 sf

CIRCULATION/MECHANICAL22290 sf

FOOD SERVICE11675 sf

90,000 GSF52,605 NSF PROGRAM

58% EFFICIENT

Current Building Space and Program AllocationPlans

First Floor PlanLower Level Plan

Current Building Space and Program AllocationPlans

Second Floor Plan

5: Building Assessment

Exterior

• The exterior of the building is uninviting and lacks any view into the activities inside.

• Loading docks are inadequate and make service to the building difficult.

• Loading docks are inadequate and make service to the building difficult.

• There are many opportunities for outdoor seating but locations make them unappealing.

• Entries are uninviting and hard to find. Students use a single side door to enter directly into the dining room at lunch time. Entry

Loading

Building Assessment SummaryArchitectural – Building Exterior

Outdoor Gathering

Interior

Level One

• Level one is a hive of activity during lunch time. The dining operation is overwhelmed with the volume and cannot provide adequate offerings. Some student groups claim lounges as their own and minimize opportunities for other students. This gives the appearance that there isn’t enough lounge space.

• It isn’t clear how to circulate through the building and particularly up to the second level. Stairs are hidden along the perimeter and all are enclosed.

• Multi cultural groups have sizeable offices however there is no connection to any of the other student groups. Their spaces are awkward and some don’t have access to the inside of the BSC.

• Many of interior spaces have enough sf, but their strange layouts limit usability.

• Large meeting rooms are inadequate and AV capabilities are very limited.

Commuter Lounge

Main Lounge - Atrium

Servery

Building Assessment SummaryArchitectural – Building Interior

Rathskeller

Interior

Level Two• Level Two houses the BSC’s

Meeting Rooms, Student Organizations, and Office suites. Perimeter lounge space has been created but it is dark and takes up circulation space.

• The Multi Purpose room has low ceilings and a small catering kitchen supporting it. Despite its limits it is sought after for any large gathering on campus and therefore is booked months in advance.

• The Student Org space feels small but if it we a better layout and there could be a shared workspace centrally located it could accommodate many groups.

Large Conference

Student Organizations

Multi Purpose

Building Assessment SummaryArchitectural – Building Interior

Lounge

Building Systems

MEP Utility Services

Steam – 100 PSI from Central PlantChilled Water – 45ºF from Central PlantPrimary Power – 4160V from Campus GridTelecommunications (Fibre) – from Green Hall/Campus MDFWater – from Municipal (Separate Domestic and Fire Loops)Sewer – to Municipal (Via Ejector PumpsUtility Upgrades Required across Entire Building for Renovation/Expansion or Replacement

Steam Entry Piping 4160V Entry Switch

4” Fire Water Entry Piping Ejector Pumps (Strong Odor)

Building AssessmentBuilding Systems

Building Systems

Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning

Original Constant Volume Reheat System Mostly Intact

Very Energy Inefficient Yet Poor Performance

Extensive Lined Ductwork (Air Quality?)

Concerns About Summer Humidity Control (Mold in Basement?)

Poor Condition/Beyond Useful Life

Steam-to-Hot Water Exchanger (Inaccessible) Air Handling Unit

Constant Speed HVAC Pumps (Energy Waste)

HVAC Piping Adjacent to Transformer (Code/Safety Issue)

Building AssessmentBuilding Systems

Building Systems

Structural

Primary Structural System is Cast-in-Place Concrete Frame

Secondary Steel Frameat Skylights

Renovations Should not Impose Increased Loads on Existing Structure

Addition(s) Should be Structurally Independent

Use of Building as Emergency Shelter May Require Structural Upgrades

Concrete Panel Construction Concrete Floor Construction

Concrete Frame with Non-load Bearing Partitions

Steel Frame at Skylights

Building AssessmentStructural

6: Conclusions and Recommendations:

I-Space and Program

• Current Space Allocation (by Area) may be enough to meet Space Demand

• Inadequate space layouts, program location and overall building

• Ideal New Building scenarios could be same size or smaller than Brower

depending on program emphasis

• inefficiency drive higher space demand in renovation and addition

options

• Low/uneven space utilization as result of space and program

inadequacies

Conclusions and Recommendations

II-Build New versus Renovation and Expansion Options

• Current Building Site still favored as ideal location for the program

• Building Budget does not support a new building scenario unless under a

phased approach

• Building Budget does not support a renovation and expansion unless

under a phased approach

Conclusions and Recommendations