Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott of Boston has been selected as the principal designer for Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in downtown Raleigh. The Boston designers will work with the Raleigh firm Small Kane architecture to design the renovation of the office building at 225 Hillsborough St.
With an extensive portfolio of academic projects, Shepley Bulfinch has developed design solutions for Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, and other institutions. The firm also designed the recently completed Perkins Library and von der Hayden Pavilion at Duke University.
Small Kane Architecture was founded by G. Milton Small, Jr., architect of the historic G. Milton Small and Associates Office Building along Hillsborough St. The firm will be in charge of design implementation and construction of the project.
Initial plans include a complete renovation of the 107,000 square foot building, including a law library, courtrooms, classrooms, common spaces, and gathering spaces. It will be interesting to see what type of gathering spaces are developed and how, if at all, the renovation responds to the upcoming 30+ story mixed-use Reynolds Tower across the street.
The $27.5 million project is expected to be complete by the start of school in August 2009.
The location of the new law school creates a sort of liaison between Glenwood south, the warehouse district, and the downtown civic institutions. Considering plans for the new Justice Center and the growing young professional appeal of downtown Raleigh, it seems very appropriate that the university chose this spot to nestle its future young lawyers.
A question I’m thinking—Will the students be able to live within walking distance to the school? At areas along Hillsborough St. along N.C. State campus, as well as other colleges, there is a rich dynamic created from having the school, residences, and establishments in close proximity. A student presence helps support the local businesses, and in turn businesses help maintain a community in the immediate area. Even though the law school’s student body averages only around 300, those interactions around the school have the potential to bring some much-needed life to that dead shop-front stretch in front of the capital.
In general, there is a need for low-rent options if the city wants to experience the kind of diverse urban community that fosters a sustainable and lively downtown. Hopefully, the presence of more students downtown will help build that market for low-rent options.
NewRaleigh.com