Cranes, cones and diverted traffic. These generally mean one thing on a university campus — growth and change. At Appalachian State University, signs of construction also represent our deep commitment to the institution’s academic mission, the quality of the Appalachian Experience, and service to students and the citizens of North Carolina.
Appalachian has eight major construction projects underway or being planned over the next three to five years that will enhance the Appalachian Experience and support the university’s strategic plan, “The Appalachian Experience: Envisioning a just and sustainable future.”
Each project also supports Appalachian’s goals and metrics associated with the University of North Carolina System’s strategic plan, titled “Higher Expectations.”
The projects:
- Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research
- Appalachian 105
- Residence halls
- Kidd Brewer Stadium — North End Zone
- Sanford Hall
- NPHC Plots and Garden
- Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
- Founders Plaza
Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research
This site of the former Broyhill Inn and Conference Center will house Appalachian’s Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research, as part of the new Innovation Campus. Photo by Marie Freeman
This will be the first building of the Innovation Campus, which will be located at the site of the former Broyhill Inn and Conference Center on Bodenheimer Drive. It will be a vital link between the campus and the regional community through education, research and outreach.
The conservatory and nearby Nature Preserve Trailhead will advance the natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachian region, allowing the Appalachian Community and visitors to:
- understand the natural history and economic importance of our region’s biodiversity;
- gain a heightened appreciation of the research and creative endeavors being conducted at Appalachian.
The conservatory will build on existing opportunities available through the Department of Biology’s teaching and research facilities.
How is it funded?
Expenses for a feasibility study, the first step in developing this project, are being paid with state funds through the Division of Academic Affairs.
Who will benefit?
Students in Appalachian’s College of Arts and Sciences and their faculty mentors will use the conservatory’s state-of-the art research space for basic and applied research. Visitors, including K-12 students and community members, will benefit from the scientific exhibits and demonstrations informed by the research conducted at the facility.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
Appalachian can produce more graduates in the critical workforce areas for North Carolina — identified in the UNC System’s strategic plan as STEM, K-12 education, health sciences, and emerging workforce areas — who are capable of addressing the needs of the world.
Status
The university has hired architectural engineering firm Clark Nexsen to conduct a feasibility study.
This schematic reflects initial ideas shared by Department of Biology faculty on how the conservatory could be arranged at the site of the former Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.
A 360-degree view of the future Innovation Campus site, which will include the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research. Video by Marie Freeman
Appalachian 105
The former Watauga High School property, located off Highway 105 about a mile from the main campus, offers new opportunities for Appalachian. Photo by Marie Freeman
Watauga County transferred ownership of the former Watauga High School property, located off Highway 105 in Boone, to Appalachian on Sept. 29, 2017. The acquisition of this property, now called Appalachian 105, allows the university to make deliberate choices about growth and build an intentional community.
The property consists of 75 acres and was appraised at $16.7 million.
Appalachian has been exploring options for development, including student residence halls, a day care facility and student recreation fields. Three interactive listening sessions were held in January 2018, allowing campus and community members to share ideas for the property’s use.
Read a summary of themes and ideas
How is it funded?
Conceptual designs for a portion of the project's development — including competition and training facilities for the university’s track and field, tennis and softball programs — are expected to cost $11.8 million and will be funded by donations. Building plans will be phased in as fundraising progresses.
Appalachian's vice chancellor for business affairs, Paul Forte, said other ideas under consideration for future development of the remaining portion of the property include "facilities to meet the university’s needs for collaborative academic spaces, event space, parking, residence halls and additional recreation accommodations for students."
Who will benefit?
The entire campus community.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
An enhanced campus designed with students, faculty, staff and the public in mind supports recruitment and retention of all members of the university and local communities.
Status
In its October 2018 meeting, the UNC Board of Governors approved Appalachian’s request to designate the Appalachian 105 property as having millennial campus status. The Board approved the university’s request to move forward with the conceptual design process in order to begin developing competition and training facilities for the university’s track and field, tennis and softball programs. The project timeline is yet to be determined.
A 180-degree view of the property. Video by Marie Freeman
Residence halls
Site preparation is underway for a parking deck where Winkler Hall once stood. Photo by Marie Freeman
This major housing project will replace seven residence halls: Bowie, Coltrane, Eggers, Gardner, Winkler, Justice and East. All but East Hall are located on the west side of campus.
Winkler Hall was demolished in 2014, and six others have been recommended for removal due to extensive deferred maintenance needs. The plan calls for replacing nearly 1,800 beds — and adding 300-400 more — while also adding better, more efficient parking.
This $191 million project is part of the Recreational Village (page 93) described in the Master Plan 2025. Current plans are to provide between 2,100 and 2,200 beds of student housing in three phases, with completion dates of fall 2020, fall 2021 and fall 2022.
How is it funded?
Through a public-private partnership, known as a P3, which was given considerable and careful review by Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Paul Forte. The partnership was approved for Appalachian by the UNC Board of Governors in May.
Approximately 330 beds will be constructed by RISE: A Real Estate Company (RISE) and purchased and owned by Appalachian using proceeds from its General Revenue Bonds, Series 2016C to replace the former Winkler Hall. Approximately 1,770 beds and the parking deck will be financed and owned by Beyond Owners Group (Beyond) through tax-exempt debt.
Appalachian sought and received authorization from the Board of Governors in October 2018 to enter into a ground lease agreement with Beyond, which will serve as the foundation for related agreements on the development and management of the 1,770-bed and parking deck portion of the project.
A ground lease is an agreement in which a tenant is permitted to develop a piece of property during the lease period, after which the land and all improvements are turned over to the property owner. The agreement between the university and Beyond will allow Beyond to obtain project financing. Beyond will have a leasehold interest in the project site, and will be obligated to develop the project and own the privately financed improvements for the duration of the ground lease. Appalachian will have the right to approve plans and specifications for the project.
Through the P3, Appalachian will save more than $73 million over the cost of developing the property on its own. The P3 is made possible by millennial campus designation.
Who will benefit?
First-year and upper-division students who wish to stay on campus in an environment that promotes their academic and personal success.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
The first-year experience for both first-year and transfer residential students plays a significant role in student success at Appalachian. Research conducted nationally, as well as on campus by Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning, has shown that students who participate in on-campus housing activities tend to become more involved in campus events, make more friends, create more robust connections with peers and faculty/staff, earn higher grades and are retained at a higher level.
Status
Earlier in 2018, through a competitive procurement process, Appalachian selected RISE: A Real Estate Company (RISE) to develop on-campus housing in a public-private partnership (P3)
Current plans call for approximately 2,100 beds, a parking deck with approximately 470 spaces, and preserving and improving around 340 existing surface parking spaces.
The first phase of the project is expected to begin at the Winkler site in February 2019, with 912 beds ready for occupancy in the fall of 2020. Some site preparation will begin this fall. The development of the entire project is planned in three phases, with completion dates of fall 2020, fall 2021 and fall 2022.
The P3 Student Housing project team consists of the following:
- Asset manager: Beyond Owners Group (Beyond).
- Developer: RISE: A Real Estate Company (RISE).
- Architect: Niles Bolton Associates.
- Design consultant: Jenkins-Peer Architects (J-PA).
- General contractor: Choate Construction.
- Underwriter: RBC Capital Markets.
Architectural renderings of the finished residence halls and parking deck. Images courtesy of Niles Bolton Associates.
A Google Earth image of the area as it looks now, with existing buildings and parking areas labeled.
A 360-degree view of the site for new residence halls, parking deck and end zone project. Video by Marie Freeman
Kidd Brewer Stadium — North End Zone
Architectural renderings of the north end zone facility at Appalachian's Kidd Brewer Stadium. Images courtesy of CJMW Architecture.
Identified as the “mixed-use athletics facility” project in the Master Plan 2025 (page 96), or sometimes referred to as the End Zone Project, this initiative will transform the north end zone of Kidd Brewer Stadium into a facility providing 80,000–100,000 square feet of space designed to accommodate various athletics and academic uses.
Total project cost is $45 million. The facility will replace Owens Field House, which was built 45 years ago at approximately 34,500 square feet. It will include conference and continuing education training space, an orthopedic clinic, dining facilities, a team store, hydrotherapy, approximately 1,000 premium (club) seats, and offices for coaches and athletics staff.
This project is part of the Recreational Village (page 93) described in the Master Plan 2025.
How is it funded?
The project will be funded through donations to Appalachian Athletics, club seat revenue, Food Services revenue and debt through Millennial Campus designation, which will be repaid using tenant lease revenue.
Who will benefit?
In addition to providing an enhanced experience for student-athletes and fans, this facility will be available for use by the entire campus community. It will accommodate various athletics and academic uses, including athletic training and nutrition science.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
An enhanced experience for student-athletes and fans can go a long way in recruiting new students. It also can cultivate donors, which in turn supports scholarships for students needing financial assistance to attend college.
Status
The plan is to open the facility for the fall 2020 football season. Construction for a new parking deck at the site of the old Winkler building is currently underway. The deck will accommodate approximately 470 cars and should be completed in early fall 2019.
The stadium as it appears today with the aging Owens Field House, foreground. Photo by Marie Freeman
Sanford Hall
Every student at Appalachian takes at least one class in Sanford Hall. Photo by Marie Freeman
Built in 1968, Sanford Hall is structurally sound and meets the basic safety codes established in the late 1960s, but it needs renovation to outdated HVAC, electrical and fire suppression systems, air conditioning, classrooms and office space. Renovation is expected to extend the life of the building by as much as 40 years.
How is it funded?
The North Carolina General Assembly’s House Bill 1054, which unanimously passed on June 14, lets Appalachian take on self-liquidating debt for the project.
Who will benefit?
Every student at Appalachian takes at least one class in Sanford Hall. The building accommodates 4,600 students per day — 23,000 students per week.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
Providing the best environment for teaching and learning, particularly for first-year students, can impact recruitment and retention.
Status
Work is slated to run from May 2019 to fall 2020. The university will present a short list of preferred designers to the Board of Trustees for consideration in this fall.
NPHC Plots and Garden
The new NPHC Plots and Garden project beside I.G. Greer Hall. Photo by Marie Freeman
For more than 50 years, historically black colleges and universities across the United States have developed a tradition of providing a gathering space for the National Pan-Hellenic Council or NPHC. With its NPHC Plots and Garden project, Appalachian will be among a very few predominantly white institutions (PWIs) that also pay tribute to the legacy of African-American Greek life.
Like many black Greek letter organization traditions, the development of plots can be traced to the days of slavery, and later, the division of Confederate land after the end of the Civil War for homestead development. Plots are constructed to symbolically and physically represent each black Greek letter organization's presence on campus and to give alumni and current members a location for reflection and celebration.
Students, staff and NPHC alumni have been advocating for this project for nearly 10 years. It gained significant momentum in 2017–18, when Chancellor Everts dedicated space for the NPHC during 2017 Homecoming festivities and crews began construction in June 2018. The site is located next to the Veterans Memorial in front of I.G. Greer Hall, near the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building.
How is it funded?
The project is funded through institutional support as well as money raised by Appalachian NPHC affiliated alumni, faculty, staff and other friends.
Who will benefit?
The entire campus community, and especially members of the seven NPHC fraternities and sororities with chapters at Appalachian. This space signifies yet another way that the University of North Carolina System and Appalachian value diversity and inclusive excellence and the benefits these principles bring to campus.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
By demonstrating support of diversity and inclusive excellence, the university validates all members of the campus community. When underrepresented students, staff and faculty feel validated, they are more likely to succeed.
Status
Construction is complete. An unveiling was held Sept. 29, 2018, during homecoming festivities. Fundraising efforts surpassed $150,000 under the leadership of alumna Trustee Susan Branch '99, alumnus James Tolliver '96 and alumnus J.K. Reaves '93. Gifts are still being accepted under The Divine Nine Leadership Development Endowment, a newly created fund derived from the Plots and Garden project to provide leadership grants and awards to students within NPHC.
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity at their plot during the NPHC Plots and Garden unveiling Sept. 29 during Homecoming 2018. Photo by Marie Freeman
Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences
The front entrance of the Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences. Photo by Marie Freeman
This is the largest capital project to date in Appalachian’s history and the first completed project as part of the $2 billion Connect NC Bond referendum approved by voters in March 2016. It is located at 1179 State Farm Road, across from Watauga Medical Center.
How is it funded?
Connect NC Bond project, plus a $5 million commitment from The Leon Levine Foundation for the building and furnishings.
Who will benefit?
Appalachian’s nearly 3,500 students in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, who can study in a state-of-the-art facility that enhances collaborative efforts across the disciplines and fosters a patient-centered practice model; and citizens of the region — many in rural areas — who will be served by Appalachian’s well-prepared graduates.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
Appalachian can produce more graduates in the health sciences, one of the identified critical workforce areas for North Carolina.
Status
Five of the six departments in the Beaver College of Health Sciences are housed in Levine Hall: Communication Sciences & Disorders, Health and Exercise Science, Nursing, Nutrition & Health Care Management and Social Work. The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education remains in Holmes Convocation Center. A ribbon-cutting took place Sept. 21.
Leon Levine Hall, as seen from above the intersection of Deerfield and State Farm roads. Photo by Marie Freeman
Founders Plaza
An aerial view of the new Founders Plaza, which features the campus statue of founder B.B. Dougherty. Photo by Marie Freeman
As a tribute to Appalachian’s founders, B.B. and D.D. Dougherty and Lillie Shull Dougherty, a new plaza has been constructed in the Appalachian sign area off Hardin Street. Founders Plaza, dedicated Sept. 5, now provides a larger, more iconic setting for the Appalachian sign and the university’s sculpture of B.B. Dougherty, and a new outdoor space for studying, small gatherings and scheduled campus events.
This $350,000 project fits into the Master Plan 2025’s description of a new campus gateway. (page 59)
How is it funded?
With a portion of the university’s FY18 State Repair and Renovations (R&R) allocation.
Who will benefit?
The entire campus and local community. Traditionally a popular spot for students, their families and alumni to take pictures, this area will pay greater tribute to Appalachian’s founders and its 120-year history.
How does it support UNC System Goals and Metrics?
An enhanced campus designed with students, faculty, staff and the public in mind supports recruitment and retention of all members of the university and local communities.
Status
A dedication and luncheon was held Wednesday, Sept. 5 — the date of a new tradition, Founders Day, to be celebrated each fall to honor Appalachian’s founders and the first day of classes in 1899.
DeJon Milbourne, president of Appalachian’s Student Government Association (SGA), speaks at the Founders Plaza dedication held Sept. 5 on the first Founders Day. Photo by Marie Freeman
Students inside the newly opened Leon Levine Hall on the first day of classes in fall 2018 semester. Photo by Marie Freeman
An aerial view of areas receiving millennial campus designation at Appalachian State University. Video by Marie Freeman