By Jessica Driscoll/ Gloucester County Times
Since the beginning of the new year, talk of a potential merger between Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden and the possibility of a higher education bond issue have been big news.
In this time of transition and uncertain futures, the two local universities and Gloucester County College are moving forward with construction, program changes and partnerships to make higher education more accessible to students.
At Rowan University, work continues on the $300 million Rowan Boulevard project, which connects the campus to historic downtown Glassboro. Three restaurants are expected to open in the latest building, the mixed-used Whitney Center, by summer. The $139 million building that will house Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden will open in June. Rowan has undertaken renovations to create administrative spaces in spring 2012 in the former First National Bank of Camden and is selecting the design team for expanded renovations, which will create additional office space and classrooms in the five-story facility on the corner of Cooper Street and Broadway in Camden. Rowan is also completing a $350,000 lighting project that, in part, has included installing about 75 new light poles along U.S. Route 322 and Carpenter Street. The new lighting is powered by Rowan’s co-generation plant, a campus facility that converts natural gas into electricity and makes steam for heating and chilled water for summer cooling. And, plans are underway for fall expansion of the team house, which will double in size.
According to Rowan officials, depending on what the stipulations are, a higher education bond could help Rowan address deferred maintenance and construct new buildings, including homes for research space and classroom space for several disciplines. Among the items Rowan would use potential bond funding for would be: work on the First National Bank of Camden, HVAC and modernization work on Bole Hall and renovation and restoration of the Tohill Auditorium in Bunce Hall.
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