Wheaton College officials dig new science space

Scientific advances took great strides forward Friday at Wheaton College.

The school began construction on a new 128,000-square-foot science and mathematics building to replace Armerding Hall, a circa 1970s facility built well before technology and collaborative research were factors in the classroom.

With a rigid design separating classrooms from laboratories and offices, and prohibiting any merging of the three, Armerding Hall fell behind the times as science has advanced, explained Sarah Clark, the college's director of media relations.

On Friday, more than 1,000 students, faculty, alumni and community members gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building, which is touted not only as state-of-the-art, but environmentally friendly, too.

"It's designed to be adaptive and will change as sciences change," said Dorothy Chappell, dean of natural and social sciences.

The building, which will be named later, is 28,000 square feet larger than the existing classroom facility. It also includes an atrium to house Perry, the school's mastodon skeleton, and has room for geology, natural history and other exhibits. Teachers in the new building will have their own dedicated research space along with laboratory space in which they can help students on projects or research.

Having the $80 million facility at Wheaton College will "further prepare students in the health professions so they can care for others," said David Gieser, vice chairman of the board of trustees.

Historically, officials at the school require 100 percent funding on-hand for a project before crews start work. With only $35 million raised toward the new science building so far, though, trustees decided to push forward while fundraising continues so the classes could open on schedule in 2010, Clark explained.

Armerding will remain in use, though it's not clear what purpose it will serve, Clark said.

The school is in the midst of its largest ever fundraising drive, $260 million, of which the science center is just one part. It is, however, the only completely new building included in the plan.

Edman Chapel is in the midst of a complete renovation as is Adams Hall, the school's art instruction building. Work on Adams should end next spring while the Edman Chapel work similarly is set to conclude in 2010.