Agenda

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 

Video Conference 

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Approval of the Minutes – Arden (5 Minutes)

Consent Agenda (No Item(s) – Arden (0 Minutes)

Action Items

1. College of Engineering Growth (Info Item 21.15) – COE Short-term Growth, Space Request #22-06 – S. Jones-Humienny (5 Minutes)
   • Research IV, First Floor
   • Mann Hall
2. Staff Senate Chair OFfice, Administrative Complex. Space Request #22-01 – L. Moore (10 Minutes)
3. CALS Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology, MOU with NCDA for Use of Rollins Animal Disease Lab, 2102 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC, 27607, Space Request #21-23, Related to #17-03 – L. Moore (5 Minutes)
4. DELTA Testing Center, Brickyard Neighborhood, Updated Space Request #15-06 – L. Moore (15 Minutes)

Other Business:

Next Meeting: Friday, April 22, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Adjourn

Minutes

UNIVERSITY SPACE COMMITTEE MEETING (USC) 

Monday, March 23, 2022 

Video Conference 

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Attendance and Distribution

Members present: Warwick Arden; Charles Maimone, Mladen Vouk

Staff Support present: Adrian Day; Alicia Knight; Cameron Smith; Christopher Ross; Doug Morton; Don Hunt; Jonathan Horowitz; Lisa Johnson; Lisa Van Roekel; Liz Moore; Margery Overton; Sumayya Jones-Humienny

Guests: Adam Brueggemann; Barbara Moses; Catherine Phillips

Additional Distribution: Jessie Askew; Lori Johnson; Emily Cummings; David Rainer

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the February 25, 2022 meeting were approved and have been posted.

Approval of the Consent Agenda 

N/A

Action Items 

1. College of Engineering (COE) Growth (Info Item 21.15) – COE Short-term Growth, Space Request #22-04 
   • Research IV, First Floor
   • Mann Hall –
     Lisa Johnson presented the proposed long-term, short-term, and mid-term approaches to addressing the COE’s projected growth. The most effective way to address the long-term growth for the COE (taking into consideration impacts to other colleges) and inform the Biennial Six-Year Capital Plan due this fall, is to have the SmithGroup forecast space needs as they already know the campus and have collected data as part of the Physical Master Plan (PMP) effort underway. SmithGroup will involve COE leadership, Institutional Strategy and Analysis (ISA), Enrollment Management and Services (EMAS), and multiple stakeholders as part of their planning outreach. The deadline target for space growth requirements to be delivered is July 31, 2022. Lisa noted that since 2010, COE’s space allocation has only grown 4% whereas their enrollment has grown almost 19%; therefore, the long-term plan must include new square footage. In the meantime, consideration must be given to possible leased space and improvements in overall space utilization.The best short-term plan is to allocate the currently vacant space on the first floor of the Research IV (RIV) building to COE. There is currently square footage available. Additional square footage can be made available by relocating university users to other locations (e.g., Science House) and as space becomes available as private leases expire. The initial space allocation could be made immediately with additional space following as it becomes available. The specific COE programs to be located there are still to be determined.  Other space on the first floor could also be allocated to COE as it becomes available, yielding a total of over 27,000 ASF in the next five years. 

     The committee asked when the scope of renovations and associated costs would be better understood. Lisa responded that we must work with COE to program their needs and use the $30M allocated by the State Legislature for COE growth. D. Morton stated the UNC System Office will not act on authorizing the spending approval until May 2022; therefore, the advertisement and designer selection process cannot start until then. 

     The mid-term plan for COE growth would be to renovate Mann Hall, vacated with COE’s move to Fitts Woolard, for some first- and second-year COE curricula. This building may no longer be repurposed for other colleges’ uses but instead, it may become a gateway experience for COE students on North Campus. The 4th floor has the potential to be fume hood intensive, but needs must first be identified for programming and prioritization. Mann Hall has structural and building envelope problems, currently being addressed with a $5M project underway that will also provide a new entry. A new $10M HVAC system project has also been funded. In addition, $12M of the aforementioned $30M COE growth funds will be allocated for significant additional renovations needed for programmatic and other building requirements.

     The question of lease costs for COE was raised given the current financial structure of Research IV. A. Knight suggested that the space question be separated from the rent question for the time being, as there are some initial conversations scheduled to review the current financial structure and the potential options for moving forward in consideration of the overall plans to allocate more space in the receipt-supported buildings (RSBs) to university users. The group further discussed that one solution to this issue may be to eliminate unit-level costs for specific spaces and manage the financial requirements for the buildings at the university level through a modification to other fund flows. The committee approved the short-term growth plan and noted the mid-term plan is also a priority; moreover, both are consistent with the long-term plan.

Information/Discussion Items

1. The Science House, Cherry Building, Space Request #22-06 (Space Request is forthcoming):
   S. Jones Humienny explained that 7,500 ASF of the space slated to become available this fall in RIV for COE growth is dependent on the Science House (TSH) vacating suite 1200 first. The results of the initial test fit are critical to the potential success of the aforementioned COE short-term growth plan. She met with TSH to see their space in RIV as well as tour them through the Cherry Building to ascertain whether it would be a good fit for them. Both TSH and the Office of the University Architect determined that the Cherry Building would be a  good fit as it was already upfit for Early College High School STEM classes, is in good condition, and has the right amount and types of interior spaces, plus lots of adjacent space outside for outdoor program activities. The first floor would need very little renovation or modification compared to other units moving there, or conversely, compared to moving TSH elsewhere. TSH’s Space/Lease Request is forthcoming and will be vetted by Staff Support before coming to the USC at a future meeting for approval. The committee agreed it would be a trade-off with swing space options but good use of the Cherry Building. 
2. Staff Senate Chair Office, Administrative Complex, Space Request #22-01:
   L. Moore presented the request for dedicated office and storage space for Staff Senate use in their preferred location near the George Worsley Administrative neighborhood. Although there is currently no available space, some may be vacated in the next year or so. The committee requested to see some options at a future meeting.
3. CALS Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology (CAAE), MOU with NC Department of Ag (NCDA) for Use of Rol lins Animal Disease Lab, 2101 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, Space Request #21-23, Related to #17- 03:
   The committee previously recognized the importance of this request and directed University Real Estate & Development (URED) to work towards negotiations to acquire this building. L. Moore recapped that CAAE could fit in 1/3 of the building with the remainder for use as swing space. Lab swing space is in great need of other upcoming Repair and Renovation projects funded by the State Legislature. Rollins also has an animal isolation space that could be used for the Scott Hall bird wing renovation.
   
   A. Knight gave a status update on negotiations. She contacted the NCDA and the National Guard regarding the reallocation of the building and land to NC State. She is working on presentation materials for the Buildings and Property Committee to the Board of Trustees for a no-cost reallocation approval and is compiling costs associated with anticipated upfit costs as well as the ongoing operations and maintenance of the building for the Office of Finance and Administration Vice Chancellor’s review. There are two types of renovation/upfit scopes and associated costs: 1) framework, which is the minimum work that must be done to secure the building/property, provide connectivity, etc., and 2) tenant upfits, which must be done for each tenant’s programmatic needs when those tenants are identified. She noted that there may also be a need for an interim agreement with NCDA for NC State to utilize the building in advance of the allocation to prepare for our use.
4.  DELTA Testing Center, Brickyard Neighborhood, Updated Space Request #15-06:
   L. Moore stated that DELTA’s lease expires May 31, 2025, and they have requested to move to a more appropriate space where students can hang out or study before scheduled tests. Remote testing has been problematic for security integrity; therefore, in-person proctoring is best. DELTA’s preferred location is in D.H. Hill Library; however, multiple space requests have recently been made by various units for space there. At the last USC meeting, it was determined that a holistic study of the library is needed to align its long-term space use with its mission and goals. S. Jones-Humienny noted that the study is starting but will take some time to complete. Lisa Johnson added that a request for funding may be forthcoming. The committee inquired whether the space could be dual-use. L. Moore responded that more investigation is needed as there are minimal security parameters that must be met. The committee noted that DELTA testing is not around-the-clock use and the space will be vacant when not in use, which is inconsistent with the Library’s vision/needs. The committee agreed that more investigation is needed to determine security needs and dual-purpose options.

Other Business 

N/A 

Next Meeting: 

April 22, 2022, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Meeting Adjourned at 2:31 PM.