UNC System President Erskine Bowles joined UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees Chair Ruth Shaw and Chancellor Philip L. Dubois at today's groundbreaking ceremonyfor the University’s new 12-story Center City Building at the corner of Ninth and Brevard Streets.
The $50.4 million building is the only University of North Carolina classroom building conceived and designed specifically to serve the business, organizations and residents of an urban center. It will provide UNC Charlotte with a lasting presence in the city’s business and cultural district as well as symbolize the University’s position as the leading institution of higher education in the region.
“UNC Charlotte is North Carolina’s urban university — and for this region to succeed, Charlotte must educate and train — through our graduate, undergraduate, and professional programs — the leaders of tomorrow,” said Bowles. “The new Center City Building will enable UNC Charlotte to offer that vital graduate and professional education right in the heart of this great city.”
The Center City Building will be located in a 22-acre mixed-use “urban village” being developed by Levine Properties, which is collaborating with the university, the city and the county in the public-private venture. Eventually, the urban village is expected to include parking garages and up to 2 million square feet of offices, apartments, condos, shops and restaurants.
Dubois described Tuesday’s groundbreaking as a defining moment for the University and the culmination of work that began with former Chancellor Jim Woodward.
“After many years of planning and persistence, we are about to break ground on what I truly believe will be the most important facility in UNC Charlotte’s history,” he said.
“In its entirety, the Center City Building project will be a catalyst for redevelopment in the historic First Ward,” Dubois said. “A four-acre park and urban village development are planned for areas adjacent to our stunning new academic building. Imagine students arriving by light rail and relaxing in First Ward Park before heading off to class in the Center City Building.”
Upon completion in 2011, the Center City Building will offer several of the University’s graduate-level programs, including the Belk College of Business M.B.A. and the new M.B.A. in Sports Marketing and Management. The university’s School of Architecture’s new Master of Urban Design will also be based there.
Graduate-level classes in the colleges of Engineering, Health and Human Services, Liberal Arts and Sciences will be held in the downtown campus building. Additionally, the College of Arts + Architecture will house its Design + Society Research Center and a public arts gallery in the building.
The Center City Building will play a major role in Charlotte’s economic growth in the coming decades, Shaw said.
“In the long-term, the Center City Building will figure prominently in the transformation of Charlotte’s economy,” she said. “The project also will produce a significant short-term economic impact. Over the next 22 months, the project will employ 1,500 individuals, including construction workers, suppliers and manufacturers.”
The structure’s striking cantilevered design was conceived by renowned architectural firm KieranTimberlake, in partnership with Charlotte-based Gantt Huberman Architects. KieranTimberlake’s client list includes UNC Chapel Hill, Yale, Cornell and Princeton Universities. Rodgers Builders of Charlotte will serve as the construction manager.
Construction is scheduled to begin this spring on the 143,000 square-foot building, which will be adjacent to the park. There will be a light rail stop within easy walking distance. Nearby will be some of the city’s leading cultural institutions, including Spirit Square, ImaginOn and the Levine Museum of the New South – and the offices of Bank of America and Wells Fargo and others.
University leaders also expect the Center City Building to fit into the cultural fabric of the central business district.
For example, a 300-seat auditorium will be made available for public events, and a spacious lobby will be a public space with such amenities as an art and architecture gallery, a bookstore and a coffee shop. In addition, with a goal of achieving the distinction of a LEED silver certified building of distinct design, the project illustrates the University’s commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.