Skirkanich Hall set for opening in spring

Although Skirkanich Hall -- the School of Engineering and Applied Science's new bioengineering building on 33rd St. -- appears near completion from the outside, there is still a lot of work to be done.

Eduardo Glandt, dean of the Engineering School, said that the roof should be finished within the next two weeks, marking the end of the exterior construction. Within a month of the roof's completion, construction and decoration of the inside will begin.

The construction has taken slightly longer than anticipated because of the need to reinforce hanging concrete on the outside with steel. This is a complex process that involves a long period for the concrete to dry.

Last year, the $42.2 million building was slated for completion around February of 2006. Now, Glandt estimates that it will be finished on April 15, with the official dedication party two months later in June.

In addition to adding a "tremendous amount of laboratory space" to the Engineering School, Skirkanich Hall will serve as the home for the Bioengineering Department, Engineering's largest in terms of enrollment, Glandt said.

He added that the building's central location is a key factor in making it the core of the Engineering School. Skirkanich Hall will serve both as an entrance to the Engineering School complex and as a connector between the school's existing buildings.

"The tower marks the entrance to the castle," Glandt said, and "this will make one amazing tower."

McNeil on schedule

The new home of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, at 34th and Walnut streets, is also nearing completion. Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Rebecca Bushnell said that it should be done sometime this fall.

The building, which was made possible by a $2 million donation from Robert McNeil, will be the McNeil Center's first permanent home since its creation in 1978. It currently resides at 36th Street and Locust Walk.

Although the new building's "primary function is as a research center," it will also have a classroom for lectures, Bushnell said.

She added that the center will be a valuable asset to Penn because it will concentrate scholarship on campus.

Vet School clears park

At 39th and Spruce streets, what was once a small park for animals at the School of Veterinary Medicine to relieve themselves in is being transformed into a temporary parking lot.

Facilities officials say this comes in response to an increased demand for parking as a result of a new imaging center for the Vet School.

Officials are uncertain of how the space will be developed after the parking situation is resolved.

Alan Kelly, the dean of the Vet School, was unavailable for comment.

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