Four Iowa State projects are scheduled to receive state Board of Regents approval next week when the board convenes in its Urbandale office. The primary purpose of the Jan. 9-10 meeting is to conduct mid-year performance reviews for the institution heads and executive director Mark Braun. The agenda includes a short consent list, scheduled for a board vote at 1 p.m. Jan. 9.
Audio of open portions of the meeting will be livestreamed on the board's website. The evaluations will be completed in closed sessions.
Up for board approval are:
- A university proposal to house the interdisciplinary Nanovaccine Institute, which the board approved in June but has functioned as a multi-institution research venture since 2013, on the unfinished fifth floor of the new Advanced Teaching and Research Building. The request is to begin planning the project. Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in chemical and biological engineering Balaji Narasimhan serves as director for the institute, which includes about 70 scientists from 21 universities, health care companies and national laboratories. The project budget is estimated at up to $6.5 million, to be covered by university funds and private gifts. Occupants on the ATRB's other floors are scheduled to begin moving in this March.
- A proposal by ISU Dining to renovate and reconfigure about 75 percent of the Hub interior to separate the coffee and grill venues and reduce congestion. The plan moves the coffee venue to the north end of the building (phase 1). The southeast corner of the building, now used primarily for vending, would be converted to back-of-house functions. The existing seating areas would be renovated. ISU Dining will pay for the estimated $2.4 million project. The timeline calls for bidding the project in the spring, with the coffee venue ready by the start of fall semester and the grill area several months later. This is the board's final approval.
- A proposal by the athletics department to reconstruct and expand the parking lots immediately north and south of Hilton Coliseum (C1 and C2) and the roads on the east and west sides of the building. The number of highest-level donors to the department continues to grow, as does feedback about crowding and lack of parking for basketball games. The project includes additional sidewalks, new lighting, improved accessibility and a dedicated parking area for the visiting team bus. The addition of a north driveway to Lincoln Way, for event day use only, is being studied. Athletics department funds will cover the estimated $3.8 million cost. This is the board's final approval.
- Revised plans and budget for recreation services' proposal to upgrade, irrigate and light the intramural fields east of Willow residence hall. The project would increase $580,000 (about 28 percent) for additional turf upgrading, a retaining wall and some paved areas to better handle foot traffic. Recreation services funds will cover the revised $2.7 million cost. The board initially approved this project in August 2017.
