A ceremony was held in celebration of the new Center for Science and Mathematics Saturday — the $132 million building that will replace the north half of the Science “Spider” Building. The groundbreaking ceremony recognized and thanked donors and key faculty and staff who contributed more than $19 million in funds. Construction for the new building will begin in the fall and is expected to be completed in 2013.
Groundbreaking took place on the steps and courtyard of the Science and Mathematics Faculty Office building. Cal Poly President Warren Baker and dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Philip Bailey were two of the six ceremony speakers who talked about the 15-year process to approve and fund the building.
“A lot of people worked to make this come together. There was terrific involvement of alumni, faculty and students in developing the program plan for the building,” Baker said. “It will be the only facility of its kind in the west.”
The event ended with a symbolic demolition where Baker and others took swings at the outside wall of the Science Building with a green and yellow sledgehammer. Groundbreaking occurred when student representatives from each college used golden shovels for the firsts digs on construction.
Every Cal Poly student will take a class in this building, Bailey said. Science and mathematics are the foundation of the polytechnic curriculum and the building is symbolically placed at the center of the campus, he said.
The center will be 200,000 square feet, making it the second-largest building on campus behind the Robert E. Kennedy Library. The six-level building will provide four new laboratory studios and accommodate the growth of students. Four outdoor terraces and indoor informal student spaces will provide a place where people can sit, study and talk, Bailey said.
“It will be a beautiful and inspirational building that will spark curiosity and rival student space in the University Union,” he said.
The $132 million dollar project was funded with $113 million in state money through bonds and more than $19 million in private funds, Cal Poly Foundation Board chairman Gary Bloom said.
“The center has more than 100 private donors with gifts ranging from $5 million to $5,” he said. “This truly has become a university-wide project and priority.”
The support and donations from the private sectors were extremely important in the getting state interested in the center, Baker said. To further promote the building, a letter was sent to Governor Schwarzenegger explaining what Cal Poly provides; he was receptive to the idea that the center is important even with the budget crisis.
“There was a clear indication and concern that the CSU aren’t producing enough science and engineer graduates who have more than a passing knowledge on the subjects,” Baker said. “The center will prepare Cal Poly students for science, technology engineering and mathematics careers.”
Tours will be given during construction to teach students about sustainability, said Ted Hyman, Cal Poly alumni and partner for Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca, the architectural firm working on the building
“We want to bring in architectural engineers and environmental science majors to study the building,” he said.
A condensing process has already started to accommodate for the loss of classrooms during the construction.
“We are going to have to modify the way classes are taught,” Baker said. “It’s going to be difficult for students the next few years, but the center will make a significant difference in the future.”