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Building boom at FIU

Building boom at FIU

April 24, 2014 at 12:00am


In the past two years FIU has erected or renovated more than 10 buildings on Modesto Maidique and Biscayne Bay campuses to make room for much needed laboratories and classroom spaces. Some of these new environmentally friendly buildings are predicted to use nearly 50 percent less water and electricity than their traditional counterparts. The newest building, Academic Health Center 5, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and houses the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work and other research groups.

“When you first see the structure and then walk into the building, I think everyone is struck by the unique shape, look and architecture of the building,” said Dean Michele Ciccazzo. “It is magnificent.”

Take a tour of the latest additions to FIU.


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Academic Health Center 5 (AHC-5)

Purpose: Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, College of Arts & Sciences and International Hurricane Research Center research facilities, classrooms, offices

Size: 121,465 SF

Cost: $44.9 million

Cool feature: Huge cantilever that houses laboratory space

Opened: July 2014

See photos from concept to construction.


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Academic Health Center 4 (AHC-4)

Purpose: Scientific research facility for the College of Medicine and the College of Arts & Sciences, wet and dry labs, classrooms and seminar rooms

Size: 136,082 SF

Cost: $57.5 million

Cool feature: A customized mass spectrometer laboratory

Opened: March 2013

See more photos on Flickr.


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Parkview Housing

Purpose: Student living

Size: 620 beds with 290-car parking garage

Cost: $55 million

Cool feature: Floor-to-ceiling, glassed-in common room overlooking FIU Stadium

Opened: August 2013

Take a video tour of Parkview.


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Student Academic Support Center (SASC)

Purpose: Honors College and University Graduate School offices, Enrollment Services, Student Financials, classrooms

Size: 73,173 Gross SF

Cost: $25.6 million

Cool feature: 750-seat auditorium, largest at FIU

Opening: June 2015


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Satellite Chiller Plant

Purpose: Improve campus energy efficiency

Size: 14,000 SF

Cost: $7.1 million

Cool feature: Plant provides chilled water for laboratories when power goes down

Opened: April 2013


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Stocker AstroScience Center

Purpose: Astronomy research observatory, classrooms

Size: 10,233 SF

Cost: $4.4 million

Cool feature: Control room inspired by the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise from “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

Opened: January 2014

Take a look inside.


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Management and New Growth Opportunities Building (MANGO)

Purpose: College of Business and FIU Online, classrooms

Size: 107,912 SF

Cost: $35.7 million

Cool feature: First floor mall with Starbucks, Panda Express, Taco Bell

Opening: Fall 2014


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Ambulatory Care Center

Purpose: In partnership with Miami-Dade County, a treatment and diagnostic center open to the public

Size: 32,023 SF

Cost: $8.6 million

Cool feature: The new 109th Street bridge spanning 8th Street will lead pedestrians to the center

Opening: November 2014

Read more about the outpatient center.


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Parking Garage 6 (PG6)

Purpose: Parking, bus port, retail

Size: 2,000 parking spaces, 35,000 SF

Cost: $42.6 million

Opening: January 2015


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Restaurant Management Lab

Purpose: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management advanced food production lab and brewing science lab

Size: 140 seat

Cost: $2 million

Cool feature: Two-story wine tower and spirits demonstration bar

Opened: September 2013

Take a video tour of the new facility.


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Wolfe University Center Renovation

Purpose: Modernize interior and exterior of the Panther Square gathering area with new facades, new seating and a coffee shop. Mary Ann Wolfe Theater also being renovated.

Cost: $3.25 million

Cool feature: A bronze Panther statue for Panther Square

Opened: March 2014

See the completed renovation.  

 

— Deborah O’Neil MA ’09 and Ray Boyle