UCF Boosts Programs With Multimillion-Dollar Projects

ORLANDO, Fla. — University of Central Florida is undergoing several improvement projects that are expected to strengthen the school’s medical and athletic programs, including a new psychology building, college of medicine and football stadium.

Construction of the new $14 million psychology building, located on the university’s main campus in Orlando , was recently completed. Designed by local firm Baker Barrios Architects, the three-story, 75,000-square-foot facility provides classroom-space, computer-based teaching laboratories, research laboratories, auditorium, and conference and seminar rooms.

Other features include a community clinical training and research clinic, and workshop and storage areas. Office space is provided for faculty, staff and graduate students.

With a quickly growing enrollment and several campus locations, the university wanted to provide dedicated space to the department of psychology as quickly as possible.

Students and faculty in the psychology department will have access to office and storage space, research laboratories and seminar rooms.

“As one of the fastest growing universities, our team was challenged to design a facility that met the needs of UCF’s growing student population, faculty and staff, while also developing a design that responds well to existing campus architecture,” says Tim Baker, principal at Baker Barrios Architects.

A new $50 million football stadium opened at the university’s East Orlando campus this fall. The new Bright House Stadium, designed by Kansas City, Mo.-based 360 Architects, opened in time for the school’s 2007-08 football season and offers 45,000 seats, including 24 luxury suites, more than 450 ADA-compliant seats and 822 club seats.

The facility features two scoreboards, more than 10,000 square feet of locker room space, a club lounge and 11 permanent concession stands.

The university is also planning a new $33 million facility that will house the medical library and instruction spaces at its health sciences campus in Lake Nona . HuntonBrady Architects, in conjunction with Ellenzwieg Associates Inc., is overseeing the design of the four-story, 100,000-square-foot building.

The project is in the programming and design phase and is scheduled to open in fall 2009. Upon completion, the medical library will offer study, computer and collaboration areas, and instructional spaces will include lecture halls, a clinical skills suite, anatomy lab suite and a simulation lab suite.

Students will also have access to common areas and lounges and an information technology area with offices and a network server area.