Description of Projects under Design or Construction

Aeronautics and Engineering Building Addition KSU-20L089
The Aeronautics and Engineering Building houses classrooms, instructional and research laboratories, air traffic control simulation facilities, and academic administration offices and support spaces for the College of Aeronautics and Engineering. After the 55,000 SF building opened in 2014, an addition was planned to accommodate the program’s anticipated growth. This project will build an approximately 29,000 SF addition to provide additional research and instructional lab space, faculty and administration office space, as well as a 200-seat lecture hall. The existing footprint of the proposed addition is constrained by several underground utilities which cannot be relocated and must be protected during construction. A Program of Requirements is complete. A conceptual design has been approved and is being circulated to solicit philanthropic support for the project. On June 29, Kent State University will be interviewing three shortlisted architectural/engineering firms interested in designing this project: Ayers Saint Gross, DS Architecture, and Van Auken Akins Architects, LLC. Kent State University is currently reviewing qualifications of firms interested in serving as the Construction Manager at Risk for this project. This Construction Manager at Risk project is being managed via OAKS-CI.

Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship New Building KSU-18L048 (Crawford Hall)
Creating a signature gateway entrance to the Kent Campus includes the construction of a new home for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship. Kent State is working with a real estate development team that is assuming responsibility for financing, designing, constructing and operating the new Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship building, in what is referred to as a ‘P4’ approach (public-private partnership plus philanthropy). Following an extensive design and finance competition, Signet Real Estate Group was deemed to have provided the proposal with the best overall value and most cost-effective approach for delivering what is envisioned as the marquee building of the first phase of the Gateway to a Distinctive Kent State Master Plan. At this time, Signet is providing pre-development services including pre-construction estimating, schematic design, design development, and construction documents. Signet Real Estate Group is the P4 Project Developer, Perkins + Will with The Collaborative, Inc. are the design team, and Turner Construction Company and Ozanne Construction Company are serving as the Construction Management team. This project is on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Rockwell Hall Addition and Renovation for the School of Fashion KSU-18S143
Built in 1928, with subsequent additions in 1958 and 1990, Rockwell Hall houses both the School of Fashion and Merchandising and the Kent State University Fashion Museum. The 104,000 square foot building does not meet the current instructional and programmatic needs of the growing school. This project will focus on adding 20,000 to 30,000 sf of new instructional and lab space and renovating the existing areas. The Program of Requirements for the project is complete. A key feature of the project will be a new 400-seat lecture hall and a prominent pre-function space connecting a new arrival point to the existing iconic atrium. As a key project in the Gateway to a Distinctive Kent State Master Plan, this renovation will strengthen the university’s connection to downtown Kent along the Lefton Esplanade and present an enhanced architecture and landscape design in the historic Front Campus neighborhood. DS Architecture, LLC is designing this project and Regency Construction Services, Inc. is serving as the Construction Manager at Risk. This project is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. This Capitally-funded, Construction Manager at Risk project is being managed via OAKS-CI.

Solar Energy Power Purchase Agreement for Six Regional Campuses KSU-19L806
A Solar Power Developer is developing and will then operate turnkey large solar photovoltaic systems located at six of Kent State University's Regional Campuses: Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, and Trumbull. Kent State University is under contract with TEN NINE Energy, LLC for the Solar Photovoltaic Consultant Agreement, Site Lease Agreement, and Power Purchase Agreement. TEN NINE Energy will install, own, maintain and operate the systems in accordance with O.R.C. 3345.61, .62, .63 and 3345.65. Basic scope: Ground mounted, fixed mount or single axis tracking, solar PV installations on sites of five Regional Campuses and rooftop or canopy solar PV systems at East Liverpool Campus. Preferred maximum 25 year total PPA contract to maximize savings over grid supplied electric power. This project is under design.

Terrace Drive Road Realignment KSU-19L036
As part of the Gateway to a Distinctive Kent State Master Plan, the university plans to create a re-imagined central gateway to the Kent Campus from Main Street and to extend the iconic, historic Front Campus landscape along Main Street. This transformed area includes a new building for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, a new parking deck, renovations to White Hall, and the removal of surface parking lots to create a bucolic, pedestrian focused green space in this area. To achieve this vision, the university will close Terrace Drive from Main Street and realign approximately 900 feet of the road to connect to Midway Drive, concurrent with the COBA and parking deck projects. In addition, the landscape, green space, and pedestrian improvements in this area will be constructed as part of this project. The design team will work collaboratively with the surrounding project designers to develop a beautiful and functional site response to support the transformation in this district and redefine the campus landscape in this area. SmithGroup, PLLC designed this project. This multi-phased, General Contracting project is being managed via OAKS-CI.