After 15 months of construction, the $9.7 million renovation and addition at Oakland University’s O’Dowd Hall came down to a simple countdown Thursday.
Led by Christopher Carpenter, M.D., Stephan Sharf Dean, OUWB, a group of Oakland University and OUWB dignitaries — and others involved in the project — cut a ceremonial ribbon to officially reopen the building.
More than 100 people were at the event that began with brief remarks from Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D.
“(O’Dowd Hall) is really in the center of Oakland University, and it’s no coincidence that OUWB is at the heart of our campus,” she said. “It’s because OUWB is also at the heart of much of what we do.”
Pescovitz said OUWB will continue to be “among the finest medical schools in the region, in the state, and in the nation.”
To maintain that status, she said, OUWB needs to ensure students have access to all of the amenities they need to succeed.
An audience listens to Pescovitz before a ceremonial ribbon was cut to signify the reopening of O'Dowd Hall. |
The renovation and addition project was designed to meet those needs.
It not only features a new “gateway” entrance, but a lot more study space for students along with more classrooms that are being outfitted with the latest and greatest in medical education technology.
Speaking immediately prior to the ribbon-cutting, Carpenter said the OUWB community “waited patiently for this day.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to share our new home with you,” he said.
He noted that the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) challenged school officials to create more classroom space within the school’s learning environment and “we knew we had an important mission to accomplish.”
That mission essentially started with the gathering of feedback via focus groups with students, staff, and faculty, regular meetings involving school officials, architects, and construction managers, and town halls.
The process also included the inconveniences caused by construction, such as entrances being temporarily inaccessible, noise, and more.
Retired OUWB Dean Duane Mezwa, M.D., checks out the new photo wall that greets visitors to O'Dowd Hall. |
After the ribbon-cutting, Carpenter said it will all be worth it.
“This is a huge step forward for OUWB,” he said. “Recognizing how our students learn was key to how this project was planned out. It’s going to be an environment that allows our students to be that much more successful.”
Though OUWB has a presence on all five floors of O’Dowd Hall, the project was primarily focused on the first floor.
Many saw the renovated and expanded space for the first time on Thursday.
“It’s wonderful,” said Changiz Mohiyeddini, Ph.D., professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies. “It’s a major improvement for our students, staff, and everybody…it really adds to the quality of education.”
He added that the new entryway creates a feeling that “OUWB is a place that you want to be.”
Others shared similar feelings.
“I was amazed,” said Tracey Taylor, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Foundational Medical Studies. “The new entrance is a lot more inviting and it doesn’t feel like you’re walking into a basement.”
She added that she feels the new environment will go even further in helping OUWB “build a better sense of community.”
Others who were all smiles on Thursday included the team behind the project.
That includes officials from OU, OUWB, Fishbeck+SLAM, and Auch Construction.
Vince Mattina, project manager, Fishbeck, was among them. He called working on the project “a wonderful experience.”
“It’s a great project, we had a great project team, and we’re very happy to have been part of it,” he said. “It’s humbling to walk away at the end of a project like this and see everyone engaging in the space.”
Jennifer Myers, AIA, architect, Oakland University Facilities Management, shared similar feelings.
“This project has been really great from the beginning,” she said. “It was really fantastic to get here today and see how successful it’s been and how excited everyone is.”
Steve Collard, CMA, vice dean, Business and Administration, OUWB, perhaps wore the biggest smile on Thursday. From start to finish, he served as the liaison between the OUWB leadership and the project team and essentially made sure the project stayed on track and ready for the 2024-25 school year.
“It feels great to see a finished product and so many people from the university check in,” he said. “The welcoming gateway is something the school never really had…and the classrooms are state-of-the art.”
“This project really adds so much to the school of medicine,” he added.
More details about the O’Dowd Hall renovation and addition can be found in the forthcoming issue of MedConnect, OUWB’s official magazine. Look for it in early August!
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, senior marketing specialist, OUWB, at [email protected].
To request an interview, visit the OUWB Communications & Marketing webpage.
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