The makeover to Carroll University's facilities continues.
As a new $24 million, 44,500-square-foot state-of-the-art science center enters the final stages of construction, the Waukesha university is proposing another major building replacement.
The two-story, 21,000-square-foot Lowry Hall, a building constructed in 1949 that houses physics and chemistry programs and their laboratories, is set to be torn down to make way for a new, larger building along North Barstow Street on the southwest side of the campus.
A new 36,000-square-foot Lowry Hall building will house lab and classroom space that will serve the nursing, physics/engineering exercise science programs and other academic classroom needs for students and faculty.
Tall order
The new building, at 51 feet, will stand 13 feet taller than the existing structure on property owned by Carroll University.
A component of the building proposal, such as a variance request, is set to come before the city's plan commission on Wednesday, April 13. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 201 Delafield St. A zoning variance is requested to allow the west facade of the proposed Lowry Hall replacement to encroach within the setback by 9 feet 6 inches.
Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
The building is designed with two floors above grade, a partially exposed lower level, and a screened rooftop enclosure that houses mechanical equipment. Retaining walls with landscaping would accommodate a grade change at the loading area/driveway adjacent to Barstow Street.
An occupied terrace is also being planned for a portion of the roof. New sidewalks, an entry plaza and an accessible building entry are part of the proposal.
As proposed, the building would be constructed in a single phase, according to plans submitted to the city.
The new building will be fully equipped with a fire suppression system. Campus utility upgrades were completed as part of the new science project and will be used to serve the Lowry Hall replacement building.
Connected buildings
The replacement building will occupy the same general location as Lowry Hall and connect to a new science center, which is set to open this fall.
The Lowry Hall replacement building will be connected to the new science building on all floor levels through the 12,000-square-foot Bucyrus Center for Applied Physics and Engineering.
An elevator that's being installed in the science building will also serve the Lowry Hall replacement center. The new science center, at North Barstow Street and West College Avenue, will house interactive teaching and research laboratories for anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, along with student and faculty gathering areas.
The university is in the midst of a three-phase, multiyear, $50 million campaign to improve its science facilities.
Bucyrus Foundation of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation has provided support for the second phase of the project with a $1 million challenge grant. The lead gift will help build out the physics and engineering areas and provides an incentive for additional gifts for the project. The funds will be designated for the construction of the Bucyrus Center for Applied Physics and Engineering.
Phase I of the project included demolition of Maxon Hall and the new science center. The third phase of the project hasn't been revealed yet.
"The opportunity to centralize some of these programs on campus will positively affect our students and faculty," said Ron Lostetter, vice president of finance and administrative services at Carroll.