Committee recommends full‑board approval to consolidate computational and systems biology in Fifth and Halkett building
December 05, 2024 | University of Pittsburgh, Other State Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Pennsylvania
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The University of Pittsburgh Property and Facilities Committee voted to recommend that the full Board of Trustees approve a $35,000,000 fit‑out to consolidate the Department of Computational and Systems Biology and provide swing wet-lab space in the Fifth and Halkett Building.
Dwayne Finckney, executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer, introduced the proposal, saying the department is currently split between two campus locations and consolidation will “enable seamless integration of computational and experimental systems analysis central to the department’s research and teaching mission.” The committee was told that full board approval is required for this $35,000,000 project under the committee’s charter.
Dr. Shikhar (identified in the meeting record as providing an overview) described the building strategy and why the department was selected for the top floors: “We decided that we would move School of Health and Rehab Sciences to this new building and occupy about the seven floors of that building in some form or another. And then the top two floors, we wanted to then, use it for the medical school needs,” the speaker said. The speaker also noted the department’s hybrid needs—both computational and wet-lab facilities—and cited the program’s joint training arrangements with Carnegie Mellon University as part of the rationale for consolidation.
Committee member Pete Bershiti asked for an overview of floor commitments and the building strategy; the presentation noted that the move is intended to reduce leased-space costs by consolidating departments into university-owned facilities and to provide flexible swing space to permit renovations in older campus buildings.
After discussion, the committee voted in favor of recommending the resolution to the full board; the committee chair announced the resolution was approved for recommendation. The meeting record did not specify a construction timeline or external approvals required beyond the full board recommendation.
Dwayne Finckney, executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and chief financial officer, introduced the proposal, saying the department is currently split between two campus locations and consolidation will “enable seamless integration of computational and experimental systems analysis central to the department’s research and teaching mission.” The committee was told that full board approval is required for this $35,000,000 project under the committee’s charter.
Dr. Shikhar (identified in the meeting record as providing an overview) described the building strategy and why the department was selected for the top floors: “We decided that we would move School of Health and Rehab Sciences to this new building and occupy about the seven floors of that building in some form or another. And then the top two floors, we wanted to then, use it for the medical school needs,” the speaker said. The speaker also noted the department’s hybrid needs—both computational and wet-lab facilities—and cited the program’s joint training arrangements with Carnegie Mellon University as part of the rationale for consolidation.
Committee member Pete Bershiti asked for an overview of floor commitments and the building strategy; the presentation noted that the move is intended to reduce leased-space costs by consolidating departments into university-owned facilities and to provide flexible swing space to permit renovations in older campus buildings.
After discussion, the committee voted in favor of recommending the resolution to the full board; the committee chair announced the resolution was approved for recommendation. The meeting record did not specify a construction timeline or external approvals required beyond the full board recommendation.
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