July 26, 2023
Students arriving at St. John’s University for fall classes on the Queens, NY, campus will notice it has been refurbished by more than 60 renovation projects, most scheduled to be completed by mid-August.
Summer construction projects range from the routine replacement of furniture in DaSilva Hall’s student lounge to the renovation of the Center for Student Success in St. Augustine Hall, and the repaving of the parking lot adjacent to Gate 1 and the Townhouses.
Those projects and others are underway while construction continues on the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center, the future home of the University’s Nursing and other health sciences programs.
“This has been a very busy summer for our team,” said Brian Baumer, Associate Vice President, Campus Facilities and Services. “From classrooms to the residence halls and across campus, we are working to support every physical aspect of the St. John’s experience. As always, the goal is to improve the learning environment for our students.”
The Department of Campus Facilities and Services traditionally uses the summer months to perform structural upgrades and any needed building renovations. Some projects this summer, including preparation for the installation of an industrial chiller in the School of Law, will help the University move closer to carbon neutrality in compliance with New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act. The chiller will use electricity to generate air conditioning, continuing the University’s move away from fossil fuels.
Upgrades to classroom and administrative buildings include the replacement of auditorium windows in Marillac Hall, one of the most-used instructional buildings on the Queens campus. A new ceiling and fresh lighting will greet visitors to St. Augustine Hall, which will also see an expansion of the Innovation Lab, home of the Design Factory at The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies (CCPS), where students engage in prototype and early-stage project development.
“This new space will make available several tools to support prototyping, such as three-dimensional printers, laser cutting, and tools to support physical computing,” said Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Dean and Professor at CCPS. “It is a space to support students in realizing innovative projects in the early stages of development.”
Likewise, lab renovations are planned for St. Albert Hall, and some enhancements will be made to St. John Hall. Office space will be consolidated in Newman Hall while the computer lab will be renovated in Sullivan Hall ahead of the Office of University Mission’s move there. Renovations to the lobby of DaSilva Hall, which houses first-year students, are also underway.
Behind-the-scenes improvements to St. John’s athletic facilities include the renovation of the Women’s Volleyball team’s locker room; renovated shower rooms for the Men’s Soccer team and for coaches; and the creation of a film room for the Men’s Basketball team.
The 70,000-square-foot St. Vincent Health Sciences Center is scheduled to open in the Summer of 2024. Powered fully by electricity, it will feature active learning classrooms, laboratories, simulation facilities, collaborative spaces, and outdoor terraces.
“It is a busy but exciting summer here,” said Mr. Baumer.