Wight & Company breaks ground on aviation-themed student center at Lewis University

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Lewis University student center
Rendering of the Lewis University student center (Wight & Co.)

Wight & Company joined students, faculty and administrators at Lewis University on April 25 to celebrate the groundbreaking for a 25,500-sq. ft. student center at the university’s Romeoville campus in Chicago’s western suburbs.

Key components of the multi-level structure will be a 2.5-story glass atrium, dining hall, several outdoor terraces, and student life areas for gaming, recreation, media and club activities.

The design of the new student center pays tribute to the university’s heritage in aviation and aeronautics. Lewis University has its own airport on its Romeoville campus and has been recognized as having one of the country’s leading collegiate aviation programs. Wight & Company’s design incorporate elements such as cables that suspend a vintage plane from the atrium ceiling as a reference to the school’s heritage.

The designer/contractor says it has partnered on more than 50 expansion and improvement projects at the university since 2014.

Wight & Company says it was chosen to lead this project using its integrated Design & Delivery model, which means that in addition to designing the new student center, the company will serve as construction manager and will provide civil, structural and MEP engineering services. Wight & Company’s architecture team is led by executive vice-president/director of design Kevin Havens, who is working with senior project manager Laura Batterberry and Richard Carlson, president of architecture. Scott Richards will serve as construction project manager.

“The student center is the realization of a vision for this campus that has been many years in the making,”  Lewis University’s Robert C. DeRose, senior vice-president for finance and facilities/chief financial officer, said in a statement.

Wight & Company is targeting LEED certification for the new structure. The project is slated for completion in August 2018.

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