Wishcamper Center has Grand Opening on October 16

Over 200 people, including Maine politicians, helped to open the new Wishcamper Center at USM on October 16, 2008.  The new center houses the Muskie School of Public Policy and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The Wishcamper building is one of the projects that Wright-Ryan is doing for USM’s University Commons in addition to the Osher Map Library expansion and renovation, Glickman Library renovations and significant sitework in order to create a cohesive campus community. The building has been submitted for approval as a LEED Gold building.  The four-story, 59,000 square feet facility incorporates a curtainwall system and state of the art, energy efficient mechanical systems and geothermal in addition to a green roof. The architect was Koetter Kim & Associates, Inc.

Center for Biomedical Research Construction Begins

The groundbreaking ceremony for the UNE Pickus Center for Biomedical Research was held on site at the Biddeford campus on October 7th. Wright-Ryan first submitted a proposal for this job during the fall of 2004. After a long pre-construction period, work has begun and the project has a proposed completion date of August 2008. The 21,000-square-foot, three-floor biomedical research facility will house teams of scientists and will ensure that UNE will attract and keep a top-flight faculty that is dedicated to medical education and advancing the practice of medicine. The facility will give students greater opportunities to experience research as part of their medical studies.  Governor Baldacci was on hand to speak about the importance of the research facility and the significance of the Center for continuing to make job opportunities for the state of Maine.

"Green" Award Presented by Tom Wright

The Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) held an award ceremony January 19, 2006 to honor Maine Governor John Baldacci, Maine State Housing Authority Director Dale McCormick, and University of Southern Maine President Richard Pattenaude for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the development and growth of green building in Maine.  They were honored with boxes crafted by our own Millwork Division.  The FSC cherry wood boxes with walnut accents were laser-carved with each recipient’s name and the USGBC logo. 

As a founding member and former Board member of the USGBC Maine Chapter, Tom Wright was asked to present the award to USM President Richard Pattenaude.  Tom commended Pattenaude for his leadership role in fostering a team approach to building.  This approach is evident in many of our green projects including the John Mitchell Science & Technology Center which was the first LEED building for the University.  The project was not originally designed to attain LEED Certification and it became critical to the success of the project that the team work cohesively.   

The Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council is a coalition of leaders from across the building industry, including architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers, working to promote buildings that are energy efficient, environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC is a national non-profit that has brokered the development of the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for creating high performance, green sustainable buildings.