INFORMATION FOR
--Project was partially funded by the New Jersey’s “Building Our Future” Bond Act
--Assemblyman Kevin Rooney expected to attend
William Paterson University in Wayne will hold a ribbon-cutting for its newly renovated academic building, Preakness Hall, on Friday, September 29, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. on the institution’s campus in Wayne. The project is part of a long-range plan to modernize facilities in the academic core of the campus. Its construction was funded in part by the State of New Jersey’s “Building Our Future” Bond Act. New Jersey Assemblyman Kevin Rooney is expected to deliver remarks, along with Fred Gruel, chair of the William Paterson University Board of Trustees, and University President Kathleen Waldron.
Preakness Hall, which opened for the start of the fall semester, houses four state-of-the-art kinesiology laboratories, 14 smart classrooms, a 90-seat auditorium, numerous small and large group study rooms, the Writing Center, and faculty offices for the Department of English and Department of Philosophy.
The building, which takes the place of the 50-year-old Hunziker Wing, is rich with 21st century technology. The four kinesiology labs are respectively tailored for the study and research of body composition, human performance, human motion, and motor control. Each smart classroom is outfitted with a high-definition projector with a 133-inch projection screen, and many have an additional 90-inch flat screen display. The group study lounges are equipped with wireless collaboration pods, meaning students no longer have to worry about carrying cables and adapters for their electronic devices, and instead can access the campus WiFi to feed documents or presentations onto a large display for their peers.
“We set out to create a space that, by incorporating modern design with the latest technology in higher education, will encourage interaction between students and faculty,” says President Kathleen Waldron. “With spaces meant to accommodate our smaller class sizes, several rooms dedicated to group study, and additional, more functional offices for faculty, I am confident that Preakness Hall will positively impact our students’ academic experience for many years to come.”
The renovation of Preakness Hall is the first phase of a two-part project that includes the renovation of Hunziker Hall. Construction in Hunziker Hall is underway and is scheduled for completion in summer 2018. That building will house additional smart classrooms and offices, group study rooms, a keyboard lab, a creative commons space, and the Black Box Theatre. The combined cost to renovate both buildings is $31 million, $7 million of which is covered with bonds issued by the State of New Jersey.
***Please note: Media parking will be available in the Visitor’s Lot, accessed via entry 2 on Pompton Road.
