Spring/Summer 2006 Q&A

Q: How is the façade replacement progressing?
A: The façade replacement is nearing completion. Work still to be completed in the next couple of months includes final double wall installation on the east face of the Hospital and limestone application on the exterior of the Lamar Soutter Library.

Q: Now that the new Medical School Lobby is in use, what is the plan for the old Medical School Lobby?
A:  Master Space Planning is in the process of developing options for reuse of the former Medical School Lobby for review by members of senior administration.  A number of suggestions, including permanent placement of a coffee/food vendor, conversion of the space into offices, an expansion of the bookstore and maintenance of the space as a venue for events are being considered. When a final plan is established, Campus Mod will spread the word.  If you have suggestions other than those listed above, please feel free to submit them to CampusMod@umassmed.edu.

Q: What is the status of the future office building next to the South Road Parking Garage?
A: The building, which will be designated the Advanced Educational and Clinical Practice Building, will indeed be located adjacent to the South Road Parking Garage. Currently, campus leadership is reviewing proposals from a number of design and building teams.  The two finalists will be submitting final proposals and participating in presentation interviews with the selection committee.  We anticipate making the final selection and award within the month.

Although the design of the building will take time, general decisions about the layout of the facility have been made.  Hospital ambulatory and clinic space will occupy two floors, an advanced educational center, which will consolidate multiple medical education resources including the Standardized Patient Program, simulation technology facilities and Graduate School of Nursing's Graduate Entry Pathway training labs, will be housed on one floor and office space and dry research space for clinical and translational research will be developed on another floor.

To prepare for construction, a staging area will likely be established in what is now the valet parking lot late this spring. New locations for valet parking are currently being evaluated.

Q: What will happen to the quad and the area in front of the Medical School Lobby?
A: To restore the functionality of the pedestrian walkways and to bring some green space back to campus, a multi-phased landscaping project will begin in the coming months.  The goal of this project is to create a large, open and level quad suitable for staff recreation and relaxation.

To meet this goal, the road that currently runs from the West Entrance of the hospital to First Road will be removed. This will recreate the grass quadrangle between the Medical School Entrance and Third Road. Subsequently, the location of Third Road (which runs from the Hospital Main Entrance to the LRB) will be moved to line up with the exit from the new hospital entrance roadway.

The quad will then be leveled, removing the dips and hills that routinely made walking (or tossing a Frisbee!) on the grass a challenge. Ultimately, new lighting, sidewalks, shrubs and trees will remake the quad into a safe, welcoming and environmentally pleasing common space for the use and enjoyment of faculty, students, staff and visitors.  The redesign of the quadrangle between Third Road and South Road will be done in conjunction with this implementation of the first phase of the campus master plan.   The actual reconstruction of this quadrangle will occur in a second phase that will be initiated at a later time.

In addition to the quad landscaping, other areas of campus, including those around the Benedict Building and Lakeside Expansion that have been characterized by dirt and construction vehicles and materials during Campus Modernization, will be reseeded and returned to green space.