<p>Ohio State may need multiple designers for dorm expansion </p>
<p>Carrie Ghose
Staff Reporter - Business First
Date: Friday, September 9, 2011, 1:24pm EDT</p>
<p>One or more architecture firms could soon land a $4 million job to design a new student housing and recreation district on the northeast corner of the Ohio State University Ohio State University Latest from The Business Journals TechConnect bringing back fast-pitch IT jobs fairDataCenter: City of Worthington salariesMunoz to speak at Ohio Hispanic Chamber event Follow this company campus.</p>
<p>Trustees voted Friday to seek bids on the design work for an estimated $335 million project to add 3,200 beds over the next five years.</p>
<p>“A project of this scale might need more than one architectural firm,” said Molly Ranz Calhoun, assistant vice president of student life.</p>
<p>The university wants more housing to comply with President Gordon Gee’s wish that all sophomores as well as freshmen be required to live on campus. Housing officials have spent more than a year studying options, including adding low connector buildings between the twin Lincoln and Morrill towers near the Olentangy River, but decided on the vibrancy created by concentrating the beds along Lane Avenue by the intersection of High Street, Calhoun said.</p>
<p>The project would replace a domed recreation center and one-story food service buildings on the site, incorporating those services in the new housing, which also would fill parking lots now at the corner.</p>
<p>“We can use that space more efficiently by tearing down and building new,” Calhoun said.</p>
<p>A stalled plan to convert Lincoln back to housing from offices remains on hold, she said.</p>
<p>The construction portion, split over three phases from November 2010 to April 2016, is projected at $268 million. Still left to decide is whether to build seven seven-story or five 11-story buildings, Calhoun said.</p>
<p>Source: [Ohio</a> State may need multiple designers for dorm expansion - Business First](<a href=“http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2011/09/ohio-state-may-need-multiple-designers.html]Ohio”>http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2011/09/ohio-state-may-need-multiple-designers.html)</p>