Newhouse II is being prepped for a multimillion-dollar renovation that is expected to be completed by fall 2014.

While there have been some minor renovations to Newhouse II since it opened in 1974, such as the construction of the sky bridge, this is the first major, full-scale update, said Susan Nash, director of administration for the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and overseer of the project.

Syracuse University partnered with architectural firm Gensler and consulting firm National TeleConsultants to conduct a study and create a proposal for the renovation, she said.

Funding was secured through the S.I. Newhouse Foundation, SU and alumni support, according to a July 9 SU News release.

The renovation will include updating studio and news production space with new high-definition digital technology, constructing a two-story glass curtain wall at the corner of University and Waverly avenues, and building small flex studios designed for multipurpose use, Nash said.

An innovation lab on the second floor will be constructed for faculty members working on research and experimenting with new media technology, she said.

The equipment rental room, colloquially known as The Cage, will be relocated next to the current Waverly Avenue entrance, and will include a more generous space to test equipment, Nash said.

The main studio on the first floor will be split into two separate studio spaces: one for virtual set technology with green screen capabilities, and the other for television production classes and building sets, Nash said.

Both faculty and students agree that the renovations are much needed.

“As new technology has been developed, the size of equipment has shrunk significantly,” said Michael Schoonmaker, chair of the television, radio and film department. “The 1970’s infrastructure is not ideal for modern media.”

The updated studios will feature LED lighting. The project is expected to be LEED certified, Schoonmaker said.

Classes normally held in the designated studio spaces have been relocated for the semester. The classroom on the second floor is inactive and classes have been relocated, he said.

“The renovations are much overdue,” said Jared Mandel, a senior broadcast and digital journalism major. “The equipment is outdated and the space feels cavernous.”

Mandel said one of the major drawbacks to the renovation is that BDJ 465: “Television and Digital News Producing and Presenting” was relocated upstairs.

“We don’t have a full working studio, but SU has certainly done a good job finding us a decent temporary location,” he said.

Faculty members with offices on the first and second floors have also been relocated as the renovation process begins, said Nash, the overseer of the project.

Said Nash: “We are excited to have new state-of-the-art studios to provide real-world experience for students and ensure our place as a top communications school.”

Published on January 14, 2013 at 11:30 pm

Contact Levi: ldstei01@syr.edu