The Tufts-owned warehouse at 574 Boston Avenue is currently undergoing renovations that will result in the creation of a new functional and social space for university members.
The construction, anticipated for completion in early 2015, will update the buildings teaching and research spaces to more contemporary standards, according to Director of University Space Management and Planning Lois Stanley.
There is a shortage of modern teaching and research space on this campus, particularly spaces that accommodate cross-disciplinary research as well as classrooms, teaching labs and research lab space for the social sciences and engineering, Stanley told the Daily in an email.
Stanley said that plans for redeveloping the building, located at the corner of Boston and Harvard Avenues in Medford, began two years ago after the university began to consider the best use of the warehouse.
While the exterior of the building is currently under construction, plans for the interior are being devised, according to Stanley. The building will most likely contain space for a variety of functions, she said.
The new building will accommodate classrooms, large meeting rooms, teaching labs, research labs, office space, a cafe and informal learning spaces scattered throughout, Stanley said.
Previously, the building housed a number of artisans who had worked there for the past two decades. Controversy arose among students and community members after the university ordered the artisans to vacate the building before May 31.
The building is comparable in size to Carmichael Hall, Stanley said. Although details are subject to change, the plan is to have community-oriented spaces occupy a third of a total 95,000 square feet across four floors.
In order to ensure that the new space is welcoming to the Tufts community, students were invited to participate in the preliminary design process this semester, Stanley noted.
She added that the new space will utilize natural light sources as part of the universitys goal to become more sustainable with its energy usage.
It will also offer highly flexible space use through the creative application of technology and furniture, she said. In keeping with Tufts commitment to sustainability, it will be a high-performance operation that will have low energy consumption.
Stanley said students can look forward to the finished product, where they will be able to take advantage of an additional space for studying and hanging out.
