New Student Union at University of Hartford

The University of Hartford in West Hartford, Conn., began construction in February on the renovation of its Gengras Student Union (GSU). The architect-led design-build project is designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) as part of the University’s long-term campus master plan with S/L/A/M Construction Services (SLAM CS) serving as the Construction Manager.
Set to open in the Fall of 2017, the $5 million, 3,000-SF addition and 82,260-SF student center renovation project includes expansion and improvements to the gathering and recreational spaces, common areas, dining space, offices, and meeting rooms. The student union will transform the current patio into a new community space for students, faculty, and staff while providing a cohesive front to student life services. The former Suisman Lounge area will serve as the new Career Services Center and new gathering spaces will inspire collaboration and encourage students to participate in student organizations and activities.
The commuter student lounge will also undergo a renovation and expansion.
The scope of the project will refresh the image and feel of GSU while incorporating the University’s brand and colors. Elements will include flexible furniture including movable chairs, bar stools, and high-top tables in the Suisman Lounge and café areas. Sustainable elements include LED lighting, new energy efficient air handlers, electrical upgrades to meet modern needs, and reuse of the building’s existing footprint reducing the size of the addition and its impact on campus open space. A new patio space for students, faculty, and staff will be constructed outside the main entrance to further enhance the campus greenspace.
“We’re excited to continue our long relationship with the University, helping them provide a world-class community and gathering space for their students,” said Eugene Torone, president of S/L/A/M Construction Services. “We’re looking forward to working with the University to deliver this wonderful addition to the campus in October for the 2017-18 academic year.”
The University of Hartford selected SLAM for their unique integrated design-build delivery method. SLAM’s multi-disciplinary in-house team streamlines the process by bringing planning, design and construction together in the early stages of a project. SLAM has previously completed four design-build renovation projects on the University’s campus: the Shaw Center, the Renée Samuels Center, the Department of Architecture, and the Campus Store. SLAM is also currently designing the renovation of Auerbach Hall for the University’s Barney School of Business, the Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, and completing the University’s Master Plan Update. For more information on The S/L/A/M Collaborative or S/L/A/M Construction Services please visit www.slamcoll.com or call 860-657-8077.
ABOUT THE S/L/A/M COLLABORATIVE
As a fully-integrated, multi-disciplinary architecture firm, The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) has a national presence in programming/planning and designing professional schools of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health, law, business, science, engineering, and technology. SLAM has recently completed noteworthy projects with clients from the University of Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Duke University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Tennessee, Rutgers University, and the University of Cincinnati, among others.
SLAM offers architecture, planning, interior design, landscape architecture and site planning, structural engineering, and construction services that focus on various market sectors. SLAM is located at 80 Glastonbury Boulevard, Glastonbury, CT and has additional offices in Atlanta, Syracuse, and Boston. For more information on The S/L/A/M Collaborative please visit www.slamcoll.com or call 860-657-8077.
ABOUT S/L/A/M CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
S/L/A/M Construction Services (SLAM CS), a subsidiary of The S/L/A/M Collaborative is a full-service construction management company specializing in owner’s representative, pre-construction, construction management and design-build services for the independent education, healthcare, and corporate markets within the New England region. The S/L/A/M Collaborative formed S/L/A/M Construction Services in 1996 to provide their clients with a single point of responsibility for the design and construction of their projects. This unique practice of architects, engineers, and construction professionals provides clients with seamless continuity from design into construction. S/L/A/M Construction Services has established a solid reputation by offering comprehensive construction services for every phase of the project from planning to design to build. SLAM CS is located at 80 Glastonbury Boulevard, Glastonbury, CT. For more information, call 860.657.8077 or visit www.slamcoll.com.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD
The University of Hartford (UHart), centrally located in Connecticut, provides a distinctive educational experience across seven schools and colleges for one of the most diverse student bodies in New England. UHart’s faculty are attracted by the opportunity to mentor, challenge, and support students as they pursue degrees in more than 100 programs in the arts, humanities, sciences, business, engineering and technology, education, and health professions. Chartered in 1957, today’s UHart has more than 5,200 undergraduate and nearly 1,600 graduate students from 46 states and 61 countries, as well as 85,000 alumni living worldwide. Visit www.hartford.edu for more information.