William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., has opened a new 80,000-square-foot academic building.
University Hall, a $40 million facility, was completed six months ahead of schedule, and the university describes it as the first step in a plan to modernize the academic core of the campus.
“The building represents a significant step in the revitalization of our main instructional facilities as we provide faculty and students with state-of-the-art teaching, clinical, and research spaces,” says Kathleen Waldron, president of William Paterson University.
The facility has 16 general-use classrooms that serve a minimum of 4,000 students per semester. Specialized classrooms and clinical spaces include a nursing laboratory with two patient simulation laboratories and a control room to provide enhanced clinical training; three nursing basic skills labs, and four additional nursing simulation labs.
The University’s Speech and Hearing Clinic is on the lower level. It has 15 therapy rooms and 14 observation rooms to meet a growing demand for services.
Other spaces include small and large study rooms, an outdoor terrace, and a green roof. To recognize University Hall's environmentally friendly design and construction, the school is seeking LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
