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Swain Science Annex near completion

By Adam Child

Coastal Carolina University’s new Swain Science Annex is the first phase of CCU’s plans to meet expanding requirements of the College of Science. The $15 million building, adjacent to the Smith Science Center, will house biology, chemistry and health promotion programs. Construction crews have worked extensively since Sept. 6, 2011, to finish the building on time.

Eddie Richardson, project manager for the new science annex, gives March 29, 2013, as the estimated final completion date.

The construction has thus far gone smoothly with few delays. However, heavy summer rain made it difficult for the sloped shingle roof to be constructed. “The contractor (Chancel Builders) did a real good job of managing time,” Richardson says. “We probably only lost about 30 days. Where it would have been done at the end of February, it will now be done at the end of March.”

The two-story, 40,000-square-foot building will mostly house lab rooms and few regular classrooms. The lab rooms will consist of four-person tables equipped with visual and audio technology and will also be designed for optimal views to the outdoors and hallways. Other rooms will consist of faculty and staff offices, preparation rooms and support function spaces such as photochemical instrumentation, animal holdings and a molecular equipment room.

Students and teachers will also enjoy an easier pathway to grab a bite to eat in between classes. “We’re building a bridge that will come from the science annex directly into the back of the CINO Grille,” says Richardson. “It will make it a little more convenient than it is right now, and will be done before the science building is finished.”

Although from the outside the building appears nearly finished, more work must be done to the interior before classes are held. “Once we finish (in March), we still have to move in a lot of furniture and equipment over the summer,” says Richardson. Students and faculty of biology, chemistry and health promotion programs should look forward to beginning classes in their new building for the fall 2013 semester.

CCU’s board of trustees recently approved additional funding for the three-story science annex set to begin construction Dec. 5, 2013. The 65,000-square-foot building required an additional $5 million to the original $25 million needed for completion. The building will provide marine science, chemistry and biology students and faculty with new research labs, lecture classrooms and administrative offices. Also included in the design is a second-story outdoor roof terrace that can be used by astronomy students. Estimated completion date is Sept. 15, 2015. 

The Smith Science building will also be undergoing changes in the near future. The existing building will include $4.1 million worth of interior renovations set to begin after completion of both the Swain and science annex buildings.


 

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