University News

Riverfront Campus Construction Update

July 26, 2010

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MOLINE, IL – Bricks removed? Check! Interior walls ripped out? Check! Storage building razed? Check!

The renovations of the 60,000-square-foot Building One on the Western Illinois University-Quad Cities campus are well underway, and what was once the brick façade of the former John Deere Tech Center on River Drive in Moline is now a concrete frame shell of what will eventually evolve into the first building on the WIU-QC Riverfront Campus.

"It's exciting to visit the site of our new campus and see the work in progress," said WIU President Al Goldfarb. "We are moving forward with our vision and mission to serve the residents of this region. The new campus is now becoming a reality."

For the past month, construction crews have been working day in and day out to knock down walls, remove bricks, tear down an attached building and much more to prepare the building for modern classrooms and offices. According to Bill Brewer, University architect and director of facilities-Quad Cities, interior wall layout, additional structural work, roof membrane installation, and building system rough-ins are planned in the next 30 days.

"We promised the community that we would be efficient in the construction of the new Riverfront Campus, and that commitment is a reality," said Joe Rives, vice president of the Quad Cities, planning and technology. "We are really pleased with the outstanding work of all of the contractors involved in meeting the timelines for the project."

Building One, which will be a Silver LEED certified facility, is being constructed as a "green" building. Related items of interest on this project include the recycling of construction debris; the inclusion of a vegetated roof in some areas; the use of a geothermal heating and cooling system; and the utilization of cork flooring. (Fun fact: Cork is harvested from cork trees, which are not harmed in the process, leaving them to produce more cork.)

"We are on schedule and on track," Brewer added. "I'm pleased with how the demolition and renovations are progressing. The contractors and labor have been really focused on this project, so we're in really good shape."

Building One will support the College of Business and Technology, including the School of Engineering that is currently housed in The Caxton Building; academic and student services; and University administration. The total cost to renovate Building One is $15.2 million.

In addition to the construction of Building One, the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) recently released $4 million for the next step of architectural and engineering design for Building Two on the Riverfront Campus. The CDB approved the selection of Holabird & Root of Chicago to provide design services for Building Two at the CDB meeting July 13.

For more information and to see construction progress photos, visit wiu.edu/qc/riverfront/index.php.

To view architects' renderings of the proposed WIU-QC Riverfront Campus renovation, visit wiu.edu/university_planning/masterplan.php. With the completion of the Riverfront Campus, WIU-QC -- the only public university in the Quad Cities region -- anticipates serving more than 3,000 students.

Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing