Hughes Center first building in complex for art and science north of present university site

Janel Shoun | 

 

Click on the image to see what ran in the Tennessean about Lipscomb's growing campus.

 
The December groundbreaking of the new 25,300-square-foot  James D. Hughes Center marked the beginning of the current phase of Lipscomb development that moves north beyond its long-time campus footprint.
 
The three-story arts and engineering building, which is being constructed using green methods and materials, is scheduled for completion in fall 2010.
 
“I am often asked how can Lipscomb grow given its present campus boundary limitations,” Lipscomb University President L. Randolph Lowry said. “Thanks to a visionary master plan that will double our campus size in the next few years—and to neighbors and supporters who have worked with us to acquire the necessary property—we can take this important step north. The fact is, we have plenty of geography, and energy, to expand our vision.”
 
The university’s master plan will eventually extend the campus northward to Grandview Drive. The Hughes Center will be located north of the present Crisman Administration Building and will face Belmont Boulevard.
 
“This project marks a pivotal moment in our rapid growth that began five years ago, and, thanks to our alumni, friends, and community supporters, has continued despite economic challenges,” Lowry said. “Our enrollment has grown 38 percent making us one of the fastest growing universities in the state. We’ve added 16 new graduate programs and almost 50 full-time faculty in the past four years. Clearly demand continues to grow for the kind of academically rigorous, spiritually challenging and community-based education we offer.”
 
 
The Hughes Center will be the new home of Lipscomb’s Department of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences. The center also includes transitional space for the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering. In the future, two additional facilities will be built around the Hughes Center to create a complex for science and engineering.  
 
“In 2005, Lipscomb challenged itself to invest $40 million in the campus and academic programs by 2010,” said Hilton Dean, chairman of the Lipscomb University board of trustees. “Due to incredible community and donor support, our goals were reached a year ahead of schedule despite a tough economic environment. So now we begin our next phase of growth and service.”
 
Contributing to Lipscomb’s enrollment growth are the 16 new graduate programs, Middle Tennessee’s first College of Pharmacy, eight new undergraduate programs and four specialized institutes in areas including sustainability; conflict management, corporate governance; and law, justice and society.
 
Click here to read more about the "Road to Lipscomb's Groundbreaking Growth"
 
Click here to check out the Dec. 4 ground-breaking ceremony
   
 
 

About the James D. Hughes Center

 
(Rendering by Tuck Hinton Architects)
 

“This will be a very creative space. Students will be painting and sculpting in the studios and honing their problem-solving skills in the computer labs. My husband devoted his life to furthering the arts in the young, and he would be so honored to know his legacy lives on in this innovative building that is sure to inspire young Lipscomb artists for years to come.”

-- Elizabeth Hughes, wife of the late James D. Hughes
 
  • The Hughes Center, funded completely with private funding and donations, leads construction north of the present campus.
     
  • The building is named for the late James D. Hughes, director of art education for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools for nearly 30 years.
     
  • It was designed by Seab Tuck and Chuck Miller of Tuck Hinton Architects.
     
  • It houses the Department of Art and part of the College of Engineering.
     
  • Construction is expected to cost $4 million and to be complete by fall 2010.

The building will include:

  • A main floor art gallery
  • Ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting, mixed media and printmaking studios all bathed in natural light from a skylight
  • Outdoor work area
  • Photography darkroom
  • Laboratory for robotic systems engineering
  • Renewable energy technologies laboratory
  • Problem-solving laboratory for interdisciplinary engineering design
 
Lipscomb will use green construction methods and materials in building the Hughes Center, including:
  • Recycled building materials and content;
  • Low-emission sealants, paints, coatings and flooring systems;
  • Efficient use of windows for natural light and heating;
  • Water-efficient landscaping and storm water drainage methods;
  • Enhanced refrigerant management;
  • Maximized open space; and
  • Bicycle racks and designated parking for hybrid vehicles.
 
“The Hughes Center is the culmination of the Department of Art's expansion over the past five years. With this new facility, recently added programs and new degrees can grow and thrive and students can be better served in new studios, labs and gallery. This new building is also symbolic of the emphasis that Lipscomb University has placed on the visual arts and the support we have received for our faculty, students and programs.”
 
-- Laura Lake Smith, chair of the Department of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 
 
 
The Department of Art in the College of Arts and Sciences offers degrees in studio art, teaching visual arts, graphic design and a minor in art history. The department has produced a number of award-winning and nationally known artists over the years, including Michael Shane Neal, Harold Kraus and Dawn Whitelaw. The department hosts the Presidential Lectureships for Art and Art History every fall and spring semester.
 
 
The Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering offers degrees in electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and information technology. The college’s engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and boast an excellent first-time pass rate on the national Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, the test used throughout the nation as a mandatory step for professionals seeking to acquire an engineering license.
 
Master Plan/Institutional Overlay
Metro Nashville law requires colleges and universities in the city to complete an “institutional overlay,” which specifies an institution’s plans for growth and must be approved by Metro Council. Lipscomb was the first university to complete the institutional overlay, often referred to as a “master plan.” Lipscomb’s institutional overlay includes developing property north to Grandview Drive and east to its Campus School athletic complex along Lealand Lane. The overlay does not rezone property not owned by the university but does rezone any property purchased by the university for university use. Fulfillment of the entire plan would double the size of Lipscomb’s campus.