]MADISON – Publishers of TheDaily Reporter recently presented Findorff with two Top Projects awards for UW-Madison’s Signe Skott Cooper Hall and the VA Community Resource & Referral Center. This prestigious recognition honors industry professionals whose projects exceeded expectations in design, engineering, and construction completed throughout Wisconsin during 2014.
Signe Skott Cooper Hall is the new, free-standing home for UW–Madison’s School of Nursing, which opened fall 2014. This 166,000-square-foot building resides next to the University’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Major features include a 300-seat auditorium, mile-long indoor walking path, green roof, as well as simulation suites and clinical labs.Now completed and having earned LEED® Silver Certification, Signe Skott Copper Hall offers one of the largest active learning spaces in the country, designed to support best practices in nursing and inter-professional health education. The state-of-the-art facility additionally supports 30% growth in faculty numbers, research programs, and enrollment to support the changing needs for future generations of faculty and student. The building is to “serve the State of Wisconsin for the next century,” said Mark VanderWoude, Assistant Dean for Facilities and Planning.
The VA Community Resource & Referral Center was originally built in 1925 for a cartage company (for horse-drawn carriage delivery services). As this historic, 7,540-square-foot, cream city brick building was renovated for its newest tenant, work included interior demolition to reconfigure the space for a workable office environment. The exposed brick walls and open steel truss structures remained an important design element and are showcased throughout the building. Having an extreme significance to Milwaukee’s Bronzeville District, this historic building was eligible for historic tax credits from the State of Wisconsin and the federal government through the Natural Park Service. This building will continue on as a historic site as part of the VA’s Jobless Initiative. Additionally, the revitalized building has achieved LEED® Silver and is currently pursuing LEED® Gold Certification.
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