Concordia Journal Home > Archives > May 21, 2009 issue >

New building provokes change 

By Karen Herland

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The university is reorganizing the use of space on the Sir George campus with the new availability of 37 000 sq. metres in the new John Molson School of Business.

The concentration of classrooms, offices and study space in the JMSB Building has had a domino effect across the Sir George campus. According to Director of Facilities Planning and Development Martine Lehoux, the move brings the GM Building (which formerly housed many elements of the JMSB) closer to becoming a centralized location for administration and services.

Health Services and Financial Aid will be moving into the GM during this calendar year. The Health clinic is currently located in rental space in the ER Building on Guy north of De Maisonneuve. That lease is up in December, allowing the university time to plan, renovate and prepare the new location on the second floor of the GM Building. Financial Aid will also move there.

Meanwhile, the Institute for Co-operative Education will move into the fourth floor of the GM. This is the third move in four years for the co-op. The university is taking advantage of the current reshuffle to let go of buildings no longer useful.

Bishop Court is currently up for sale by the university. Meanwhile, the BE (the space on Ste. Catherine above the Pharmaprix across from the EV Building), the CL (above the Jean Coutu across from the Faubourg) and the LS Building (at De Maisonneuve and Drummond) will no longer be rented by the university. These buildings held classrooms and some office space.

“We want to concentrate classrooms in the Hall, JMSB and Library Buildings so that departments can develop a sense of home,” explained Lehoux. The long-term plan is to devote the JMSB Building to business, the Library Building to humanities and locate social sciences, along with engineering undergraduates, in the Hall Building.

The closing of several satellite buildings means that the newer classroom furniture in them can be used to upgrade existing classrooms. Two large amphitheatres in the Hall Building will also get a facelift. All of this will help us present our best face next spring when we host thousands of visiting scholars for Congress 2010.

The tunnels connecting the John Molson School of Business and EV Buildings, and the new one connecting the GM Building to the tunnel between the Hall and Library Buildings will also be completed over the next six months. Once the tunnel under De Maisonneuve is finished, the city will complete the paving of the south side of Place Bethune.

Other minor projects downtown include the renovation of the Dean of Students offices in the Hall Building, the expansion of the change rooms in Le Gym and changes in the VA Building for the newly developed music therapy program.

At Loyola, the cafeteria will be freshened up, and its ventilation system will be upgraded. The refectory chimney will also be rebricked.