Harold Alfond Hall
Husson University, Bangor, Maine
Business programs form the foundation of Husson University, constituting over one third of the undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Since 1974, Peabody Hall had been the center for the University's business programs.
With a $4.0 million challenge grant from The Harold Alfond Foundation, Husson successfully conducted a $30 million capital campaign with the goal of building a state-of-the-art College of Business facility. Husson’s vision was a signature building at the campus entrance as an extension of, and complementing the existing Dyke Center for Family Business.
In the fall of 2017, Husson sought qualifications from nationally recognized design firms. After interviewing five highly qualified design teams, the University commissioned the team of Harriman from Auburn, ME and Goody-Clancy of Boston, MA. A solicitation for a construction manager was conducted concurrently and The Sheridan Corporation of Fairfield, ME was selected to assist during the planning phase and construction of the project.
Harriman/Goody-Clancy worked with Husson to develop a design program and conducted design charettes and focus groups with stakeholders. The classrooms feature 360-degree teaching with technology for online learning. The facility offers an agile work space, accounting lab, IT and forensics labs, study spaces and a café. The iEX Center houses a cutting edge innovation hub to develop solutions using extended reality experiences. The Hub, a common space on the main level, offers a place for students to interact in a casual environment and provides access to the open-air courtyard. The design evolved into a 42,500 sf building on three levels, integrating with the campus and affording a highly visible presence when arriving on campus.
The structure, built into a hillside on the east side of the campus, allows entrances on two levels. The pitched roof with long slopes has slate gray metal panels that transition at the eaves to vertical standing seam metal panels. The south elevation has full height glass curtainwall construction, while windows on the other elevations extend two floors with protruding gold trim framing the openings. The interior public spaces feature suspended cherry wood panels forming the ceilings and attached vertically to the walls. An ornamental stairway provides access to the upper level with a cantilevered walkway overlooking the main level.
With the design complete, construction began in May 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding. The project was fully funded and Husson made the conscious decision to proceed. Construction was considered an essential business and protocols following CDC guidelines were established to protect the essential workers. The 16-month construction phase experienced very few incidences. While production was impacted due to a labor shortage and COVID-19 protocols, the project benefitted from shorter lead times on some materials/equipment in the early stages of the pandemic. The University occupied the facility, as planned for the 2021 fall academic school year, with ongoing construction on some of the non-essential spaces.
CC of Maine was retained by Husson, once again, to provide pre-construction services including feasibility studies, budgeting, developing/issuing RFP’s for design services and construction management services. During the construction phase, CC of Maine provided contract administration/project management services.
Rendering by Harriman/Goody-Clancy