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Perry-McCall and Rink Design partner for JU Marine Science Research Institute
Design-build partnership focuses on sustainability of project
Jacksonville, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2009) – Perry-McCall Construction, Inc. and Rink Design Partnership, Inc. have teamed together to work on Jacksonville University’s new Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI.) A formal groundbreaking for the 30,000-square-foot, multimillion-dollar, design/build project is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27 at the institute’s riverfront location on the college campus, with construction officially commencing in late spring/early summer.
The two-story, energy-efficient marine science facility will include state-of-the-art laboratories, faculty offices, a media/conference room, and offices for the St. Johns Riverkeeper and a laboratory for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission along with live animal holding tanks, an amphitheatre that will serve as an outdoor classroom, and a 40-foot pontoon boat that will serve as a “floating classroom.” The JU sailing program will also be housed in the building. Jacksonville University is creating this premiere research institute under the direction of Dr. Quinton White, executive director of the MSRI.
“I’ve been working with Dr. White to help develop his vision for the Marine Science Research Institute,” said Glenn Dasher, AIA, a principal with Rink Design. “I got personally involved because I really want to see them succeed. Working with JU and Perry-McCall has been very energizing because there is an amazing sense of camaraderie.”
Designed with sustainability in mind, Rink Design is seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver and possibly Gold Certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. The MSRI itself will serve as a living laboratory – a teaching tool that incorporates design elements such as habitat protection, stormwater drainage, innovative wastewater technologies, solar panels and water efficiency techniques.
“The institute will allow the university to teach sustainable living methods that will benefit the St. Johns River. Each part of the facility helps to tell the story of how our lifestyles affect the river. Water is our most valuable natural resource,” added Dasher. “We have thoroughly researched sustainability and responsible design practices and are pushing ahead to reach a new standard in our community.”
Dasher explains that the facility’s filtration system recreates a wetlands area and serves as a great teaching model. “It’s a living machine that treats wastewater through natural processes. We hope to educate the public as we go,” he said.
According to Eugene “Sonny” Moody, vice president of Perry-McCall and the project director, the MSRI should take one year to complete after construction begins. “Our entire team has taken this project to heart and have committed that it will exceed all of Jacksonville University’s goals and expectations,” he said. “We’re learning more and more about how we can support the environment. Our involvement in this project is an investment in the future.”
Perry-McCall Construction, Inc. and Rink Design Partnership, Inc. also collaborated to complete the University of Florida Whitney Center for Marine Studies in St. Augustine, Florida.
Perry-McCall, founded in 1989 in Jacksonville, has grown from a small partnership serving one region into an established, client-focused construction management, design/build and general contracting firm servicing the Southeastern United States. For more information, visit www.perry-mccall.com or call (904) 292-2645.
Rink Design Partnership, Inc. is a full-service architectural, interior design and landscape design firm. The award-winning firm offers a unique mix of diversified design professionals with experience in master planning, programming, conceptual design, interior design, construction drawings, specifications and construction administration. For information, visit www.rinkdesign.com or call (904) 396-6353.
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