2008 Woodie Awards
Expanding horizons
Suffolk eyes new opportunities
Christine Adams
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: News
Continuing with the recent trend of campus expansion, Suffolk University filed its Institutional Master Plan Notification form with the city of Boston on Jan. 11. According to Gordon King, Senior Director of Facilities Planning and Management, "The master plan calls for a physical expansion of the University to accommodate more residents, academic needs, student services, and athletic space."
Specifically, the master plan details the development of the Modern Theatre and 20 Somerset. According to King, "The process of pulling together this master plan has been led by Suffolk's Vice President John Nucci and the City and Neighborhood Task Force."
Nucci said that the Modern Theatre, located at 523-525 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing will be transformed into a dormitory connecting to the recently opened dormitory at 10 West St. "Because the Modern Theatre is designated as an historic landmark by the city of Boston, we are obligated to preserve the façade of the structure as well as the theater on the first floor of the building," In addition to the theater, we are also planning to have gallery space on the ground floor."
Nucci added, "After the completion of this project, Suffolk will be able to house 50 percent of its undergraduate students, primarily freshmen and sophomores." King said that this structure alone will "incorporate 180-200 more beds for University students
Nucci also said that unlike 10 West St. with the apartment-style rooms, this dorm will be set up in a more traditional dormitory style and that there are no plans to include a cafeteria inside the renovated structure.
According to Gordon King, "20 Somerset is a 100,000 square foot building and the site is going to be used for the relocation of Suffolk's NESAD School, currently located at 75 Arlington Street, as well as additional studio and classroom space for the College of Arts and Sciences." King said that it was still too early to talk about the design principles of 20 Somerset, but that "they will focus on high-quality and sustainability, and they will be environmentally friendly and green. There is a system called the LEED Certification System," an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, "which provides a classification system for rating the greenness of new buildings and developments through a series of levels such as the Silver Level, Gold Level, and Platinum Level, and Suffolk is targeting the lead Silver Level for its new design of 20 Somerset."
Michael Feeley, In House Counsel for Real Estate Development, said "Suffolk University does currently have two non-expansion zones located in residential Beacon Hill and also in a section of Downtown Crossing known as the Ladder District, which is beyond 10 West St. and the Modern Theatre." There are also regulations that the University must adhere to. "The Modern Theatre renovation can have no adverse impact on neighboring property," said Feeley, "and the height of the new building that is being constructed at 20 Somerset must be limited to the same height as the current building that stands there now."
Specifically, the master plan details the development of the Modern Theatre and 20 Somerset. According to King, "The process of pulling together this master plan has been led by Suffolk's Vice President John Nucci and the City and Neighborhood Task Force."
Nucci said that the Modern Theatre, located at 523-525 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing will be transformed into a dormitory connecting to the recently opened dormitory at 10 West St. "Because the Modern Theatre is designated as an historic landmark by the city of Boston, we are obligated to preserve the façade of the structure as well as the theater on the first floor of the building," In addition to the theater, we are also planning to have gallery space on the ground floor."
Nucci added, "After the completion of this project, Suffolk will be able to house 50 percent of its undergraduate students, primarily freshmen and sophomores." King said that this structure alone will "incorporate 180-200 more beds for University students
Nucci also said that unlike 10 West St. with the apartment-style rooms, this dorm will be set up in a more traditional dormitory style and that there are no plans to include a cafeteria inside the renovated structure.
According to Gordon King, "20 Somerset is a 100,000 square foot building and the site is going to be used for the relocation of Suffolk's NESAD School, currently located at 75 Arlington Street, as well as additional studio and classroom space for the College of Arts and Sciences." King said that it was still too early to talk about the design principles of 20 Somerset, but that "they will focus on high-quality and sustainability, and they will be environmentally friendly and green. There is a system called the LEED Certification System," an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, "which provides a classification system for rating the greenness of new buildings and developments through a series of levels such as the Silver Level, Gold Level, and Platinum Level, and Suffolk is targeting the lead Silver Level for its new design of 20 Somerset."
Michael Feeley, In House Counsel for Real Estate Development, said "Suffolk University does currently have two non-expansion zones located in residential Beacon Hill and also in a section of Downtown Crossing known as the Ladder District, which is beyond 10 West St. and the Modern Theatre." There are also regulations that the University must adhere to. "The Modern Theatre renovation can have no adverse impact on neighboring property," said Feeley, "and the height of the new building that is being constructed at 20 Somerset must be limited to the same height as the current building that stands there now."
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