Construction Projects
Phase II of the Residential Life Project
Earthwork began in December 2010 to prepare the land that will accommodate what essentially will be four new buildings that will house 308 students, the Intercollegiate Department of Media Studies, Study Abroad offices, seminar rooms, a digital photography lab, an art gallery, and the Pitzer Archives. Also included will be a demonstration kitchen, and 3 apartments for live-in staff, Faculty-in-Residence, and a visiting faculty member. Numerous study rooms and lounges will be incorporated throughout the complex, along with decks, balconies, and other outdoor spaces for informal gathering.
PCL, a Canadian-based construction firm, was chosen as the builder of the project after a rigorous selection process. PCL will work closely with Carrier Johnson Architects and the College to ensure a smooth construction period that will result in an innovative and extraordinarily sustainable project that will be completed in time for students to move in by the beginning of the fall 2012 semester. Both PCL and Carrier Johnson have strong track records in designing and constructing environmentally sustainable buildings. Some of the sustainable features of our project include the collection and use of solar energy, a gray water reclamation system, low-flow water fixtures, and drip irrigation for the drought-tolerant landscape. We are targeting LEED platinum, the highest designation possible from the United States Green Building Council. More information on the USGBC's LEED program is available at: http://www.usgbc.org/ .
Since the Pitzer community engaged in the development of the campus master plan (2000-01), the housing master plan (2002-03), and even the planning for phase 1 (2005-06), many things have changed, including the size of our student body and requirements and regulations imposed by outside agencies. We are now a school of approximately 1,000 students that needs to provide sufficient housing and academic spaces for student living and learning. We currently only provide on-campus housing for about 78% of our student population, a figure that is much lower than other national liberal arts colleges, including the undergraduate schools in the Claremont Consortium – which average about 95% capacity. Our current project includes almost 120 more beds than we planned for over 8 years ago in order to meet the growing needs of our student population. We were also directed by the City of Claremont to provide a 100-foot setback of the new buildings from Claremont Boulevard. (In Phase I the requirement was only 35 feet). Finally, the Los Angeles County Fire Department is requiring the College to provide a 28-foot wide fire access road around the perimeter of the project. All of these factors have contributed to the project having to be built farther north than originally envisioned. This information was known last May and was shared with some members of the Pitzer Community in August of last year.
As work commenced a few weeks ago, and now has progressed, the College has employed a botanist and biologist to ensure the identification, protection and, if necessary, relocation of sensitive flora and fauna in the area. The College also coordinated with students involved with the composting program to temporarily relocate the composting piles to an appropriate area during construction. At this time the intention is to expand the composting program and move it to a more permanent location upon completion of the project.
There is a long and rich history of campus planning at Pitzer that is chronicled in various documents. You are encouraged to read these documents carefully if you are interested in these issues.
Regular updates on construction activity and project milestones will be provided by the Office of Student Affairs or Campus Facilities as necessary. In the meantime, please be aware that the construction site is not accessible to anyone but the contractor for safety reasons. This includes times when construction is active during the day and after hours when it is not. Please adhere to all of the signs and warnings posted on the fence surrounding the area. As we get much further along with the project there may be opportunities for tours of the site with appropriate supervision and safety precautions in place. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
(adapted from letter sent to the Pitzer Community by Jim Marchant, Vice President of Student Affairs on January 17, 2011)
Photos of construction work may be viewed on Flickr.
Selected renderings of Phase II (pdf)
Scott Hall Renovation
Scott Hall will embark on a significant renovation. As one of the original structures on the Pitzer campus, this represents a unique opportunity to not only modernize the building in order to facilitate 21st century learning, but to revitalize an important pillar of the campus community.
The synergy between student and faculty represents a key driver in support of creating progressive interdisciplinary learning environments. For this reason, the building will co-locate faculty offices, Dean of Faculty, Student Affairs, Career Services, Community Engagement Center, Information Technology, classroom and photography labs. Faculty offices will retain current proportions, with the upgrades yielding three additional offices within Scott Hall second floor.
The building will be outfitted with energy efficient lighting, improved data connectivity, high performance electrical and mechanical upgrades, sustainable materials and finishes as well as code required fire suppression and accessibility improvements. While many of the enhancements are interior focused, the renewal of Scott Hall will be responsive to the unique character of its mid-century modern origins and the role that it represents as the established campus aesthetic.
The Scott Hall renovation will require temporary relocations of faculty, staff and groups into Holden Hall. Considerations have been made to accommodate unique operational requirements during this temporary occupancy. Relocation service professionals will assist the occupants for all moves. In addition to the Scott Hall renovation, specific improvements will be made in limited areas of the following buildings: Bernard Hall, Fletcher Hall, McConnell Center, Broad Hall, Mead Hall and Avery Hall.
The College worked with the City of Claremont Building Department for several months to finalize the temporary use of Holden Hall as an office space during the renovations in Scott Hall.
LPA Architects was selected to lead the project design efforts. Professors Harmony O'Rourke, Bill Anthes, Adrian Pantoja and Tim Berg will participate on an interior design subcommittee to assist LPA with architectural details and furniture selections.
Information and timeline regarding construction and office relocation will be available shortly.