New library scheduled for opening in fall 2008, but fundraising incomplete

By Jeremy Herb

The wrecking ball and bulldozers that demolished Orradre Library this summer marked the start of construction for a new "learning commons," scheduled to open in fall 2008.

The question that remains is how much the university will have to borrow to pay for it.

In January, the Board of Trustees voted to move forward with the new learning commons and library construction, even though fundraising is $22.5 million short of the initial $80 million goal, and is now $37.5 million shy of the newly projected $95 million construction cost. Santa Clara plans to pay for the remaining cost through bonds when fundraising ends in December.

The board's rationale for moving forward without full funding was to beat rapidly inflating construction costs and to meet increasing demands for the new library's services, said Jim Purcell, vice president of university relations.

When the university decided to build a new library in 1999, it planned to raise money for the project through the "Campaign for Santa Clara," a $350 million fundraising project that runs until Dec. 31, 2006.

The campaign has met its overall goal, raising $364 million in all, but has a shortfall in money donated specifically to the library.

"The library is such a critical part of where the university needs to be to meet student needs," Purcell said. "The board was very aware that construction costs continued to escalate faster than we can (fundraise) - even with successful fundraising."

While the current campaign ends Dec. 31, 2006, Santa Clara will continue to fundraise for the library through 2008, Purcell said.

The university has not planned to begin a campaign containing new projects until 2008 at the earliest, Purcell said, and he did not know how the extra time devoted to fundraising for the library in the coming years would affect future campaigns.

The university currently does not plan to begin its next construction project, a new business school, until its fundraising has been completed, Purcell said.

When the extended campaign ends for the library, the university will balance whatever deficit remains between the money raised and the actual cost of the library using bond financing.

With this method, the state of California sells bonds and Santa Clara receives the money. Then the university pays back the bondholders - at a lower interest rate than if it took out normal loans.

As a non-profit organization, the university can use bond financing to fund capital projects.

Purcell said the university regularly uses this method, and did so during construction on Swig Hall, Sobrato Hall and Casa Italiana, as well as a portion of Malley Fitness Center.

End of an era

When demolition began on July 24, those expecting explosives were disappointed. Cranes and front-end rounders slowly tore down the 42-year-old structure over the course of a month.

Sugg said 95 percent of the materials from the old building were recycled, and the same roof tiles will be used on the new building.

With the demolition and excavation phase completed, the next step is to set the foundation for the new library. Sugg said that should be completed in December.

The exterior of the building is scheduled to be finished by December 2008, and after everything is moved back into the new space, the library will open in fall 2008.

The library will still be called Orradre; however, the structure it will be housed in, the learning commons, has yet to be named.

That decision belongs to Lorry Lokey, the founder of Business Wire, who donated $20 million to the new library and $5 million for scholarships, Purcell said.

In addition to housing the library, the new building will hold Information Technology and Media Services, a multimedia lab and a café, Sugg said.

The size of the entire new structure is 194,000 square feet on four floors, 94,000 square feet larger than Orradre.

Sugg said the university will put the books that are "on demand" in the new library's stacks, with the rest of the university's collection in the ARS. The new library will be able to hold 1.1 million volumes.

The design for the new library allowed for much more natural light, a change from the dark hallways of Orradre, Sugg said.

Purcell said Orradre had severe water and moisture problems, and the building's rigid structure would have made renovating it more costly than tearing it down.

Donation shortfalls

When Santa Clara's new library campaign began in 1999, the hope was for construction to be completed in 2007, Purcell said.

But because donors could choose where their money went in the Campaign for Santa Clara, a disproportionate amount has gone toward the library, leaving it short of the original $80 million goal.

"It's a philosophical question for donors," Assistant Vice President for Development Nancy Calderon said as to why donors may shy away from donating toward capital projects.

Calderon said that many donors would rather directly assist students by putting their money toward scholarships.

The campaign has raised money for various projects, including professorships, scholarships, programs and contributions to the university's annual fund.

Purcell said when the university completes its library fundraising in 2008, it hopes to reach its original $80 million goal for the library, leaving only $15 million to be covered with bond financing. If the university only reached $75 million, campaign officials would still be happy.

Business school next

The next project on the university's construction timeline is the new business school.

Purcell said that at this time, the university does not plan to use bond financing to fund the new school, which will be located behind the Arts and Sciences building.

University President Paul Locatelli, S.J., said at university convocation Monday that construction will start on the business school in the spring, if all the funding has been committed.

Through August, the university raised $28.6 million of its original $40 million goal.

With the extended campaign, the university has not decided what the next capital projects will be, Purcell said.

"Nothing has been settled yet," Purcell said. "But wish lists are being developed."

Contact Jeremy Herb at (408) 554-4546 or jmherb@scu.edu.