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