Montgomery County, University Officials Celebrate New Parking Garage Groundbreaking at the Universities at Shady Grove Campus
New Garage is First Step for USG’s Planned Addition of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility to Bring Top STEM Programs to Shady Grove
From left to right: Ed Kohls (Principal at Ayers Saint Gross), Kurt Weinfurther (Senior Vice President at Donley’s), Tina Benjamin (Chief of Staff at Montgomery County Economic Development), Ike Leggett (Montgomery County Executive), Dr. Stewart Edelstein (USG Executive Director), Mario Angulo Alvarado (Student Council President), Gary Gilliam (Project Manager at Donley's), and Daniel McKelvey (Associate Principal at Ayers Saint Gross)
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) today celebrated the groundbreaking for the campus’s second parking structure, a project that will help to pave the way of USG’s addition of the Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility (BSE). Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett participated in the event, along with USG leaders, and other County and State officials.
The $20 million garage will open in early 2016 and is being funded by Montgomery County. The new parking will support the planned addition of a 220,000-square-foot biomedical sciences and engineering academic complex, which is scheduled to begin its construction in 2016 and open in fall 2018.
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) and its University System of Maryland (USM) partner institutions will provide degree opportunities in healthcare and biosciences, engineering, and STEMM education. With the addition of the BSE facility, USG will be able to implement state-of-the-art laboratories, active learning classrooms, clinical training facilities, academic offices, and an expanded level of student services necessary to support program and enrollment growth in these fields.
USG’s planned Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Facility is being programmed to meet the needs of the region’s projected workforce, especially in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences (STEMM). USG and its USM partner institutions will expand degree opportunities in healthcare and biosciences, engineering, and STEMM education. The building will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, active learning classrooms, clinical training facilities, academic offices, and an expanded level of student services necessary to support program and enrollment growth in these high-demand fields.
USG has become nationally recognized for its academic model, one that is predicated on effective partnering among USM institutions, Montgomery College and other area community colleges, and local employers such as the Montgomery County Public Schools, Marriott International, Adventist HealthCare, Lockheed Martin and the federal government. Through its strong relationships with these partners, USG is able to expand access to advanced degrees that meet specific workforce needs and help assure students post-graduation career opportunities within the region.
“The Universities at Shady Grove must continue to grow, in order to provide access to higher education for students who are looking to acquire the education and skills they will need to succeed in this knowledge-based economy,” said Dr. Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director of USG and Associate Vice Chancellor of USM.
To make way for the new garage, USG relocated the entrance to the campus and the County has installed a new traffic light. The new garage will provide 700 parking spaces, which will enable the campus to serve thousands of additional students in STEMM fields and other academic programs. It will be the first in the nation to be registered as a “Certified Green Garage,” a certification that recognizes sustainable practices in parking structure management, programming, design and technology. The new “green” garage will generate onsite renewable energy and feature energy efficient LED lights.
USG will also offer preferred parking to owners of fuel efficient vehicles and those who carpool. The construction of the garage is also “green” in that a large portion of the construction waste will be recycled and a significant portion of garage materials and labor will be sourced regionally.