UMass Lowell Opens 12th New Building in Six Years

12/08/2015

Media contacts:  Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell today officially debuted its transformed McGauvran Center, the 12th new building opened by the university in six years.

Nearly every inch of the building has been remodeled in a $34 million renovation and expansion that provides UMass Lowell students, faculty, staff and the public with new options for dining, studying, collaborating and relaxing.

Located on UMass Lowell’s South Campus, McGauvran was originally constructed in the 1970s and served as the university’s primary student center for 40 years. When UMass Lowell opened the University Crossing student center in 2014, student services and organizations relocated under one roof there, allowing the university to refashion McGauvran, modernizing its interior and exterior design and reshaping its mission.

The new McGauvran Center is outfitted with contemporary furnishings and amenities in vibrant colors and materials. Two floors of the three-story building offer a variety of dining spaces and options, including retail locations open to the public and the campus that include quick-serve outlets such as Subway and Freshii, along with a bakery, grill and market. In addition, an “all you wish to eat” dining concept that puts a new spin on student meal plans has been added, featuring a variety of food stations that offer many different selections. This option is also open to members of the university community and the public for a flat fee and is modeled after University Dining Commons, which was upgraded in 2013 and is located on UMass Lowell’s East Campus.

Along with dining areas, McGauvran includes spaces for studying, gathering and relaxing, as well as classrooms and a welcome center for campus tours. Officially unveiled today, the building will open to the campus and public in January.

The McGauvran Center features new, modern architecture that is dramatically different from its pre-renovation look and feel. Now, the second-floor dining area is ringed by an interior balcony on the third floor in an open-design concept that welcomes natural light. Outside, a three-level patio with new outdoor furniture and a two-story glass wall looks out over the South Campus quad.

The building is named for Mary E. McGauvran, a Lowell native and UMass Lowell alumna who rose to become the vice president of student affairs during her many years with the university. McGauvran’s yearbook from the State Teachers College at Lowell – one of UMass Lowell’s predecessor institutions – predicted the student government president would one day serve as a college dean. After teaching in the Chelmsford and Newton public schools and earning a master’s degree in education, McGauvran joined the faculty of the State Teachers College in 1952 and built a 35-year career at what is now UMass Lowell. She passed away at age 96 in 2014, shortly before renovations to the building began.

“So many of us have been inspired by the contributions of Dr. Mary McGauvran, who always gave her best and sought the best for her students,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney. “We are proud to unveil the newly renovated building that bears her name and will provide our students with a beautiful place to gather on South Campus and more options for dining that will be available to all.”

Financed through the UMass Building Authority, the structure’s overhaul added 10,000 square feet of space for a total of 52,000 square feet.  

“The University of Massachusetts is engaged in the most aggressive building program in its history across all five campuses. The work done by the authority and its partners on the McGauvran Center is a testament to our commitment to deliver a high-quality environment for our students, faculty and staff,” said Phil Johnston, chairman of the UMass Building Authority. “As a UMass graduate myself, I fully appreciate the efforts the authority is taking to fulfill that commitment.”

More than 200 people – UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff, along with University of Massachusetts, state and local leaders – joined Moloney to unveil the redesigned McGauvran Center during an event. Speakers included UMass President Marty Meehan and Lowell Mayor Rodney Elliott, among others.

“The opening of the McGauvran Center is one of the most exciting events of the semester. With state-of-the-art design and fantastic new dining areas that I personally can’t wait to eat in, this is more than a renovation. This is a welcome home for me and for all of my fellow students,” said Matilda Matovu, a political science and biology major from Tewksbury who spoke during the ceremony’s speaking program.

Michelle Gugliuzza, a UMass Lowell graduate who is Mary McGauvran’s goddaughter, spoke eloquently about the educator’s life and her passion to teach and be a mentor to others.

“Mary was a vibrant lady, she was determined and successful,” said Gugliuzza, a retired assistant superintendent of schools in Lawrence. “She always kept the needs of students in the forefront. She never wavered from her dedication to personally help students in a rapidly changing world.”

Laurence Siegel, UMass Lowell’s associate vice chancellor for student affairs and university events, also fondly recalled McGauvran’s influence.

“The McGauvran Center will serve as the heartbeat and central gathering space for South Campus,” he said. “I was hired by Mary McGauvran in 1986 and have never known an individual who cared about students more than she did. How appropriate that this newly renovated building will continue her legacy and students’ enjoyment of campus life for many generations to come.”  

The new McGauvran is the latest building block in UMass Lowell’s campus transformation, which includes the opening of 11 other facilities since 2009. These include the University Suites and Riverview Suites East and West residence halls, the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, the Health and Social Sciences Building, University Crossing, the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, the Charles J. Hoff Alumni Scholarship Center and the North and South campus parking garages.

“The progress that has been made on the UMass Lowell campus has been tremendous,” said Victor Woolridge, chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees. “We think about the progress that has been made here and hope to do that across all UMass campuses.”

The McGauvran Center demonstrates UMass Lowell’s commitment to sustainability. The renovation kept the building’s structural bones but was done with energy efficiency and conservation in mind. The expansion of green space on the South Campus quad, where new trees and landscaping have been added, will be completed once the existing South Dining Commons next to the McGauvran Center is demolished.

“We at the UMass Building Authority are proud of our role in successfully renovating and repurposing the McGauvran Center,” said Patricia Filippone, the authority’s executive director. “The innovative design and construction incorporates green building technologies and we are pursuing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification for this project.”

The McGauvran Center’s architects are Bergmeyer Associates Inc. and the construction team includes Shawmut Design and Construction and LeftField LLC, all of Boston.
 
UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its 17,500 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be ready for work, for life and for all the world offers.www.uml.edu