New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University

Plant Science Building Renovation

Ithaca, NY

Size
172,000 gsf

Services
Programming
Lab Planning and Design
Architecture
Construction Administration

Ellenzweig is providing programming, lab planning, design, and construction administration services for the phased renovation and infrastructural renewal of the Plant Science Building—a Beaux Arts building constructed in 1931—to transform it into a high-performing 21st-century learning and research environment. The building is home to the School of Integrative Plant Science, providing offices, instructional and research laboratories, classrooms, varied meeting spaces, and a large lecture hall.

BEFORE

AFTER

The renovation design fulfills the requirements of the New York State Historic Preservation Office, returning the building exterior to its original historic appearance and restoring historic interior features such as the buildings’ central entries, atrium, and monumental staircase.

The historic main entrance foyer is expanded with lounges and meeting spaces of different sizes that create a dynamic new social hub. The laboratory wings include public collaboration spaces where researchers can meet informally outside their labs and adjacent write-up offices.

The axonometric phasing diagram above illustrates the complexities involved with installing new HVAC systems in a historic building, which had not undergone any comprehensive renovations since its original construction. Deferred maintenance is a critical consideration. Due to budget and swing-space limitations, the building has remained occupied and operational throughout the phased construction schedule, resulting in special enabling considerations related to life safety and basic MEP systems.

Envelope improvements include insulation improvements calibrated with hygrothermal modeling and high performance replacement windows. Energy modeling predicts a low energy use intensity of 103 kBtu/sf/yr and the project is registered for LEED Gold certification. The project meets SUNY “Deep Energy Retrofit” renovation standards, including Phase 1 steam-to-hot water conversion and new energy-recovery HVAC head-end systems with “cascading” return ventilation.

As a part of the phased renovation strategy, Ellenzweig developed a phased chemical compliance master plan that maximizes storage allowances for hazardous chemical materials at each step of the renovation and delivers “Higher Education Laboratory Suites” at the end of construction, when the building is fully sprinklered.