Project Location

Phase One of the Biomedical and Materials Engineeing Complex will tranform the aging 140 W. 19th Avenue (formerly Koffolt Labs) and adjacent Fontana Lab buildings into modern, efficient spaces for 21st century teaching and research.

“This is a complete interior and exterior renovation. Everything in Fontana and Koffolt will be new, but with the same bones on the outside,” explained Michael Hagenberger, associate dean for facilities planning and management.

Although primarily a renovation project, it will also include demolishing the high bay at the northwest end of 140 W. 19th Ave. —former home of chemical engineering’s unit operations lab—and building a similarly sized addition. The newly constructed area will include a 150-seat auditorium.

At approximately 124,000 gross square feet once complete, the project will result in additional square footage over existing facilities. By incorporating modern design standards, dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, space utilization and overall effectiveness will be realized.