Students who occupy White Hall and the art department building will be transferred to the Grove Modulars while art students will move into Rood Hall to prepare for the new Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health.

The center was named after Alton Lim,  who gave the largest donation in Biola’s history of $12 million. Brian Phillips, senior director of Facilities Management, believes the art department would be better situated in Rood Hall compared to the Grove Modulars.

“We think that’s a better long-term spot for the art department with some of their specialty classroom needs they have for photo lab and painting classrooms. We just don’t think those would work well in a modular building,” Phillips said.

MEETING REQUIREMENTS

Before groundbreaking for the Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health will begin in late February 2016, a few requirements must be met beforehand.

“We’ll likely demolish White Hall and the art building sometime right after Christmas and then we might get involved in some underground utility work, you know, prior to grading. We’ve got some utilities that are actually in the way of the building that need to be relocated. So there’ll be some activity out there but technically not integrating work for the building,” Phillips said.

GETTING USED TO A NEW SETTING

Sophomore studio art major Jedidiah Angkasa does not mind the change with how close both Rood Hall and the art department building are to each other.

“I don’t think it has big impact because we have the art lockers and Rood and the Art department are pretty near,” Angkasa said.

Sophomore studio art major Melody Phillips feels the transition from the art department building to Rood Hall will be more difficult due to certain equipment and rooms.

“It’s a little annoying because we have to move all our Art stuff and get used to a new setting,” Melody Phillips said. “Also, with the dark room, that’s going to be especially hard to move and have that all resituated.”

WELL QUALIFIED

Demolition for both White Hall and the art department building will not begin until after Dec. 22 since it can be disruptive to students,  Brian Phillips said. Facilities Management has coordinated with CW Driver to accomplish building the new facility.

“They’re a general contracting firm and they have a lot of experience working with colleges and universities and a lot of experience building science buildings for colleges and universities. So they’re well qualified for this work,” Phillips said.

The total project budget consists of $63 million of which $28.2 million has been raised. The total budget includes expenses to fundraise, a maintenance endowment that will be used for care of the building after construction, design, furniture and construction costs. The direct construction cost for the center will be $41.5 million.

The schedule for constructing the Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health includes a 20-month construction plan. The goal is to open before Spring 2018 but construction depends on the weather, Phillips said.