CU Boulder has released a request for qualifications for design services on a proposed major capital renewal and renovation of the Engineering Center Office Tower (ECOT). Targeted for completion by the end of 2019, the project aims to enhance the tower’s ability to continue serving as the heart of the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) for decades to come.
Engineering Center Office Tower
The project is initially estimated to cost $25.4 million and would require Board of Regents approval to move beyond the schematic design phase.
The scope of the project includes a full replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as other critical deferred maintenance geared toward improving the comfort and quality of the office environment, increasing energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.
The renovation of floors two through eight, meanwhile, will help increase office and workspace capacity by 35 percent by providing a mix of private offices, open-plan offices, collaborative spaces, study/waiting spaces and small one-on-one advising rooms. ADA restroom access on each of those floors will also be enhanced.
“This is a great opportunity to modernize this space for the 21st century,” said Doug Smith, CEAS assistant dean for programs and engagement. “In addition to adding office space, we’re also letting in more natural light to create a more welcoming, collaborative environment overall.”
Opened in 1966, the ECOT is an 11-floor, 92,268-gross-square-foot (33,261 assignable) portion of the Engineering Center that includes the main circulation space leading to other wings of the building. The first floor was renovated earlier this year. Floors two through eight house offices for several CEAS programs, while the upper three floors house mechanical rooms.
The proposed ECOT project would be carried out in a phased manner that includes work on two to three floors at a time to help minimize the number of occupants needing to be temporarily relocated at any one time.
Offices in the north and east wings will undergo the biggest renovations, as they’ll be converted from double-loaded corridors of private offices to office suites with a variety of work spaces, all laid out in a way that improves daylight access for building occupants. In addition to the HVAC work, meanwhile, window replacements in the tower’s core area add to the deferred maintenance aspects of the project. The project will follow requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.
Incorporating the renovations and essential deferred maintenance required by the building into the same project will help reduce the construction impacts for building users and increase the value of the project by concurrently addressing multiple long-term campus needs.
“The ECOT renewal is a prime example of how our facilities team is working with our academic partners to address infrastructure challenges across the campus,” said David Kang, vice chancellor for infrastructure and safety.
“This project will tackle long-standing deferred maintenance issues while simultaneously optimizing the use of existing spaces to meet the growing demands of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, two areas that are vital to our facilities strategy on campus as we look to support student success and the university’s missions of education and research.”
Schematic design for the ECOT renewal is expected to be complete by March 2018. If approved by the regents in June 2018, construction would start in January 2019 and last roughly 12 months.
