Quinnipiac University released the names and additional details about two of its three newest buildings: a 137,000-square foot academic center dubbed The SITE (science, innovation, technology and exploration) and The Grove, a 417-bed residential hall.
The SITE and The Grove are joined by the new School of Business in what will become the $293 million South Quad.
Provost Debra Liebowitz said the name for The SITE, which was announced on Jan. 22, is meant to reflect the building’s “cross-university, interdisciplinary” purpose.
The SITE — slated to open in May 2025 — will feature six classrooms, 15 teaching labs, seven group workspaces, communal areas and an auditorium.
Though many of the classrooms will be devoted to the science, technology, engineering and math fields, Liebowitz said the new spaces in The SITE are meant for all disciplines.
“We’re really thinking about how to create more space on campus that promotes collaboration and interaction and is multi-use,” Liebowitz said.
Included in these spaces is the two-story, 700-seat auditorium. The auditorium, Liebowitz said, will include retractable seats so the room can go from theater seating to an open space. In addition, the two levels will be separated by a retractable wall, thus allowing groups to hold events on both levels at the same time.
Officials announced the name and concept of The Grove — expected to open in August 2024 — on Jan. 31. Tom Ellett, Quinnipiac’s chief experience officer, said the residence hall’s name was meant to “pay homage” to the Pine Grove, the path of pine trees that was completely razed during the construction of the South Quad.
“(The Grove) is timeless and harkens back to a beloved area of campus while also being timely and modern,” Ellett wrote in a Feb. 3 email statement to The Chronicle. “It aligns with the nature-based names of other residence halls and campus areas … It connects to the sustainability and environmental elements that are central to the building’s design.”
In addition to being named after the Pine Grove, the former forest will be a physical part of the dorm. Ellett said university officials had the trees milled so the wood can be incorporated into the South Quad residence hall, which will house students from all classes.
Following Quinnipiac’s Instagram post about The Grove on Jan. 31, six users took to the comments to express their disappointment in the naming of the building considering the land’s history.
“Cool but you guys still cut down an entire ecosystem for profit,” one user wrote.
“Thank god we tore down all those trees to build a ‘sustainable’ building,” another user posted.
When asked about those who have environmental concerns — or simply miss the appearance of the Pine Grove — Ellett argued the name was intended to “embrace” the Pine Grove.
“We are not trying to erase history, but simply embrace the former space that stood there,” Ellett wrote, noting that a May 2018 tornado severely damaged the forest, which was particularly vulnerable because it was composed of a singular species.
All three buildings in the new South Quad were designed to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified, and landscapers will incorporate native plants on the site, according to Liebowitz. The South Quad project also includes a high energy efficiency central power station that will serve as the electric source for the Mount Carmel Campus.
With the opening of The SITE, a number of faculty and advising offices will relocate to the new building, including the Mount Carmel Campus offices for the School of Health Sciences and School of Nursing and the main offices for the College of Arts and Sciences.
The university has not yet announced plans for the office spaces that will be vacated upon the opening of The SITE, nor have officials revealed what they plan on doing with the existing Lender School of Business building when the new School of Business is opened.
“We are in the midst of the process of now doing a next-stage analysis of all of the spaces that are going to be vacated,” Liebowitz said.
