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 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
- Child Development Center Expansion
- 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
Clark Nexsen, the architectural engineering firm hired by the university to conduct a feasibility study, presented a report Jan. 30 after weeks of meeting with a variety of stakeholders to determine the best mix of gardens, conservatory, labs and meeting space. The report is currently being reviewed by university leaders, who plan to offer feedback to Clark Nexsen this month.
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. They will be funded by donations to Appalachian Athletics’ “A Mountaineer Impact: A Drive for Excellence” fundraising initiative.
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
The authority to spend money for the competition and training facilities for the university’s track and field, tennis and softball programs will be requested from the UNC Board of Governors in March. In October, the board approved Appalachian’s requests to designate the Appalachian 105 property as having millennial campus status and to move forward with the conceptual design process for the facilities. Phased completion of the project is expected to begin in spring 2020. HOK, which has a Raleigh office, was selected as the project's designer by Appalachian's Board of Trustees Dec. 7.
A 180-degree view of the property. Video by Marie Freeman
Residence halls
Site preparation continues at the Stadium Lot for two new residence halls and a parking deck in this photo taken March 19. Photo by Marie Freeman
Campus Construction Update, Week of Mar. 4, 2019
Campus Construction Update, Week of Feb. 25, 2019
Campus Construction Update, Week of Feb. 11, 2019
Campus Construction Update, Week of Feb. 4, 2019
Residence Hall Construction Update, Week of Jan. 21, 2019
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
In mid-February, Appalachian and RISE: A Real Estate Company (RISE) signed final paperwork required to develop the multiphase, $191 million housing project in a public-private partnership (P3).
The university selected RISE through a competitive procurement process in 2018. The development of the entire project is planned in three phases, with completion dates of fall 2020, fall 2021 and fall 2022.
Plans call for approximately 2,100 beds and a parking deck with 475 spaces.
In phase one, which will cost $61,685,000, RISE will construct two residence halls on what is now the Stadium Parking Lot, totaling approximately 900 beds. Both halls are expected to open to students in fall 2020. The parking deck, being constructed at the site of the former Winkler Hall, should be open by this fall and add 250 more spaces to the west side of campus.
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 $43 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’ “A Mountaineer Impact: A Drive for Excellence” fundraising initiative, 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 by the fall 2020 football season. Watch the live construction feed.
D.H. Griffin Companies has been selected for the demolition of Owens Field House. Demolition of the building's interior is underway and demolition of the exterior is expected to begin later in March.
Appalachian’s Physical Plant salvaged $300,000 worth of materials from Owens Field House for re-use in other campus buildings. These items range from light fixtures and electronic door locks to a chiller with an estimated value near $200,000 to improve air conditioning issues and a hot water heater valued near $20,000 that converts campus steam to hot water for showers.
Owens Field House, pictured in foreground, will be torn down in March. Photo by Marie Freeman
Child Development Center Expansion
The existing Child Development Center, bottom center, located on Poplar Grove Road near campus. Photo by Marie Freeman
Plans are underway to more than double the capacity of the Child Development Center (CDC), which serves the university’s faculty, staff and students.
The university has hired a designer to conduct a feasibility study to investigate and recommend the relocation, reconstruction, addition and/or renovation of the Poplar Grove facility.
Part of the Division of Student Affairs, the CDC offers high-quality, affordable care to 68 children and has a current waitlist of nearly 100 families. The expansion will bring the total number of children served to 168 and address needs that are not being met by the existing program.
Chancellor Sheri Everts said the university recognizes the importance of child care in recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty, staff and students, and for allowing students to continue their education as they raise and expand their families. The center’s operations are funded by sliding scale fees based on the income of the parents and families of the children.
How is it funded?
The UNC Board of Governors has approved the expenditure of $2.57 million in university operating funds for the total project. The feasibility study is expected to cost $40,000 to $50,000.
Who will benefit?
The entire Appalachian Community, as more students, faculty and staff will have access to high-quality, affordable child care through the university.
A recent assessment by Wellness and Prevention Services indicated an increasing number of students have dependents and need additional support, such as child care options, to thrive at Appalachian. Most of these student-parents do not have family support nearby, according to the Child Development Center’s director, Moriah Stegall.
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 design selection committee worked through the fall semester soliciting proposals from possible design firms and conducting interviews. The committee’s final selection, Clark Nexsen of Asheville, was approved by Appalachian’s Board of Trustees Friday, Dec. 7. The firm will conclude a feasibility study in time to recommend a best course of action to university leadership by mid-May 2019.
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
In October, the UNC Board of Governors authorized $18 million for the project. Work on the building will begin in summer 2019 and run to December 2020. LS3P Associates and Stanford White Engineering have been selected for the project’s design.
An architectural rendering of the proposed design as part of Sanford Hall's renovations. Image courtesy of LS3P Associates.
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 is 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
A ribbon-cutting took place Sept. 21, 2018. Five of the six departments in the Beaver College of Health Sciences are housed in Levine Hall: Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health and Exercise Science, Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management and Social Work. The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education remains in Holmes Convocation Center.
In early 2019, new collaborations and clinical services for rural Western North Carolina opened to the public in Levine Hall through the Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS) Interprofessional Clinic, part of Appalachian’s Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS). The student-operated training clinic provides clinical space, scheduling, billing and electronic health record support to a number of affiliated clinics, including Appalachian’s Charles E. and Geneva S. Scott Scottish Rite Communication Disorders Clinic, Music Therapy and Psychology clinics, some of which continue to operate in University Hall. The Wake Forest PA program also began its classes in the new building in January.
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