For all you trecky fans out there, an exciting new development is taking place on USM’s Portland campus. This time next year the Joel and Linda Abromson Center will be constructed, complete with a working skywalk – no, not Luke Skywalker, but close – extending over Bedford Street. The new building and bridge, in addition to the already-completed garage are part of the same $17 million investment in the University. The Abromson Center is one of several new facilities that will meet requirements for a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate.
LEED is a program that was established to promote environmentally friendly building designs. Within the program, there are many different levels a building can get certified for. USM can currently get a certification in silver for the Abromson Center, but the administration is aiming for a gold certification. The John Mitchell Center on the Gorham campus meets LEED standards, as does the new bioscience building in Portland.
Some of the features qualifying The Abromson Center for LEED certification are a rainwater toilet, which collects rainwater and then uses it to fill the toilets, as well as huge windows, to light the building naturally, cutting back on electrical and heating expenses. The bathrooms will feature low-flow faucets, which only put out a quarter as much water as normal faucets. The building will also have a geoexchange system, which will heat and cool the building by extracting heat from or putting heat into the ground water. There will also be a white roof on the building to reflect heat. The building will be made out of recyclable metal and there will be recyclable carpet tiles, which, when replaced after a spill, will have minimal impact on the environment.
The Abromson Center’s main feature will be a 500-seat auditorium called Hannaford Lecture Hall. The supermarket chain has donated $500,000 toward the building. The money for the Abromson Center and skywalk will come from a mix of University money, state funding and university bonds. The construction of the skywalk will close Bedford Street for only one day and the skywalk will reduce the amount of pedestrian traffic on Bedford Street.
Hannaford Hall will be used for convocations and orientation sessions. The lobby in the building will be like a parlor for the University where the most important events and receptions will be held. The Abromson building will also have classrooms, mainly for continuing education classes.
Continuing education is a program offering non-credit courses. The program is mostly for adults already in the workplace who want to freshen up their skills. The classes are held mostly in the evening or in one-day sessions. These programs usually offer computer, health professions, teaching, real estate, government and certificate programs.
There will also be a state-of-the-art telecommunication system in the building in which classes will be able to videoconference. The University will rent out (mostly during breaks) the auditorium and telecommunications equipment to other organizations for conferences and meetings. Some of the space in the Abromson Center will be new offices for staff. The Continuing Education Program staff will be located there. The center is being built using labor and materials primarily from local businesses.
Ruth Miller can be contacted at [email protected]