The days of Baker Hall appear to be numbered, as plans for the Convergence Center, a new engineering-business building, are being finalized.
“We’ll be tearing down Baker Hall next summer, the summer of 2017, and then constructing 80 to 85 percent of the new building over the next two years,” University President Gary Roberts said in a Peoria Public Radio article.
The building will cost $85 million, according to a Peoria Journal Star article.
Lex Akers, dean of the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology, said he is optimistic about the status of the financing.
“We’ve had tremendous progress in raising the money needed to hit our target,” Akers, who is in the midst of fundraising activities for the Center, said. “We are constantly on the run.”
Some students said they are worried about the displacement of classes while the building is being constructed.
“With most of my classes being in Baker, I’m worried about where I’ll have to go instead for class,” sophomore accounting major Ronnie Martinelli said.
Akers explained that while business students will have to go elsewhere to attend class, students will not have to leave Bradley’s campus.
“An external expert did a detailed study and said we do have the capacity to continue classes [on campus], though there may be more earlier and later classes,” he said.
Akers also noted that Jobst will continue to hold classes while the majority of the Convergence Center is being constructed.
“Jobst will stay in full operation during construction,” Akers said. “There will be no impact on engineers.”
According to Akers, the Convergence Center is not only intended to provide a top-quality classroom experience, but also foster greater community involvement and research on campus.
A recent seven-figure donation was made by former Caterpillar CEO Glen Barton and his wife Polly toward a “Maker’s Lab” for the building. The lab will allow students to utilize technology, such as 3-D printers, to bring their ideas to life. Akers said he imagines this lab to be a draw for other schools and community members.
“We envision numerous K-12 [students] coming to Bradley to take advantage of the new opportunities,” Akers said. “[The Convergence Center] is great for community relationship building.”
While the project will not be fully complete until 2021, Akers said he has high hopes for the future of a more collaborative state of the engineering and business programs.
“The Convergence building will provide a physical structure to enhance the education of Bradley’s students and change the culture of interaction,” he said. “This joint engineering and business facility will encourage closer and more frequent collaboration of both faculty and students.”
