By Lindsey Coulter

For 50 years, the Northwest Allen County Schools (NACS) administrative team operated out of repurposed classrooms and storage closets in the back of Perry Hill Elementary School. As the Fort Wayne, Ind., district’s enrollment steadily increased, the makeshift administration space could not keep pace. The lack of flexibility began to strain staff collaboration, morale and operational efficiency.

In May, however, NACS officially opened the brand-new, stand-alone Administration Center — a modern, light-filled facility that signals a fresh chapter for the district. The 32,000-square-foot, $18 million project, described as a “showpiece” by Superintendent Wayne Barker, is a far cry from the cramped offices of the past.

“[Staff members] have done incredible work despite those working conditions,” Barker said during the building’s grand opening. “Today we give the administrative staff a space that truly supports their efforts. We’re excited to bring all those folks here.”

The new Administration Center consolidates key departments that were previously scattered across various school buildings, including Technology, Human Resources, Business, Special Education, Teaching and Learning, Safety and Operations, and the Superintendent’s Office. Additionally, the building offers a multi-use kitchen, recording studio and cubicle work areas. This more centralized and thoughtful approach to operations is already fostering better daily collaboration between staff — improving outcomes for the district’s approximately 8,000 students spread across 11 schools districtwide.

A Space for Purpose and People

Designed by Elevatus Architecture and built by Weigand Construction (both based in Fort Wayne, Ind.) using a CMC/CMAR delivery method, the facility reflects the district’s emphasis on collaboration, flexibility and transparency. The layout of the building encourages both planned meetings and impromptu conversations through open offices, shared lounges and breakout spaces. These elements support the kind of cross-departmental coordination essential in a growing school district.

Cory Miller, AIA, partner and president of Elevatus Architecture, said that the district’s explosive growth made the project especially important and urgent.

“This district has grown by double digits in recent years, and there are 2,700 new homes planned in the next two years,” Miller said. “The small administrative area in the elementary school just wasn’t sustainable anymore.”

In the previous Perry Hill Elementary location (which was also renovated following the building’s completion), only about 15 or 16 employees could even fit into the administration space. This meant other employees were scattered across the district, often working out of closets or storage spaces in various schools.

“HR was compiled into a small office with people working out of a literal closet,” Miller explained. “Technology staff was also spread out. It was inefficient.”

The new facility, by contrast, is thoughtfully designed to support up to 82 occupants —anticipating a 20% growth beyond current staffing. The new building includes a sleek blend of private offices and open collaboration zones to suit different working styles. Natural light floods the interiors through expansive windows and clerestory glazing, while the materials blend tradition and innovation through material choices that include masonry and metal paneling.

The “Main Street” Corridor

At the heart of the Administration Center is the central corridor, known as “Main Street.” This area serves as the building’s public-facing collaboration space�� and connects the building’s three primary zones — the Technology department, the superintendent’s office and central leadership, and human resources/business operations.

Board meetings and public gatherings are held in a stunning new boardroom, a highlight of the facility. It features floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in natural light and offer a visible connection with the community. Outfitted with high-end audiovisual technology, the boardroom doubles as a training space and can be divided into smaller meeting rooms when needed.

The architectural inspiration for the building also draws from the district’s history. In the 1960s, two separate township school systems consolidated into what is now NACS. The central entrance — the gateway connecting the different zones of the building — is meant to reflect that union.

“We wanted the structure to honor the district’s past while looking toward the future,” Miller said. “So, we included elements that speak to that merger — bringing people together.”

Supporting Staff and Students

While the facility was designed to support the work of adults, the ultimate goal is student success. By giving administrators the tools, space and environment they need to collaborate and lead, the district hopes to increase its effectiveness, uplifting students and educators across all schools.

“There’s a real sense of pride here,” said Aaron Organ, marketing manager with Elevatus Architecture, who helped document the project. “You can feel it when you walk through the space. It’s a message [to employees] that their work matters.”

That message isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also about health, productivity and performance. Modern workplace research shows that lighting, acoustics and ergonomic design directly impact staff well-being. As up to 50% of teachers and administrators experience chronic health issues that can be exacerbated by less-than-ideal working conditions, it was important for the team to remember that schools and administration spaces are workplaces, too.

“Most of the administrators here were former teachers or principals,” Miller said. “So, they deeply understand the learning environment. But this time, we had to blend that knowledge with workplace design to make sure everyone had what they needed — from acoustically sound conference rooms to open lounge areas.”

To deliver the best possible design, flexibility of space was key. The building includes a variety of meeting spaces with different configurations — whiteboards, TVs, movable furniture and more — to allow teams and individuals to work as needed.

Learn more about the center’s efficient, future-ready design and how the team integrated safety, technology and transparency in the

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MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State University (BSU) will host a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 14 to celebrate the new $60 million Performing Arts Center and Cantio Hotel projects, which will be catalysts for the University Village’s revitalization project and bring arts, culture, vibrancy and innovation to the campus. ��

The 65,000-square-foot, two-story Performing Arts Center will be home to BSU’s theatre and dance students. The center will hold 425 seats, state-of-the-art production facilities and a blackbox studio that will allow 175 spectators. The center will also include dressing rooms, green rooms and a lobby connected to the adjacent Cantio Hotel. The theater is expected to draw 35,000 visitors a year to attend approximately 160 performances put on by the department. ��

Funding for the performance center comes from philanthropic support, including a $35 million gift from Lilly Endowment Inc., through the state’s College and Community Collaboration Initiative. The grant is the largest gift in BSU’s history.��

“Our benefactors want to see our talented students…perform in a beautiful, modern venue,” said Geoffrey Mearns, Ball State president, in a statement to the University’s magazine. “Our students will certainly benefit from this new facility — and so will our community, because the Performing Arts Center will catalyze the revitalization of The Village.”��

The adjacent Cantio Hotel will feature 97 guest rooms, restaurants and cafes, meeting rooms, fitness areas and a convenient entrance to the Performing Art Center’s black box theater. The project is expected to boost Muncie’s local economy by generating 120 jobs and contributing an estimated $8 million in guest spending. The hotel is a collaborative project with Indiana-based RATIO Architects, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Indianapolis-based Schahet Hotels LLC.��

“I am grateful to celebrate the construction of this transformative project,” added Mearns. “The Performing Arts Center and the Cantio Hotel represent our commitment to create a vibrant district that combines arts, education, and hospitality for students, faculty and staff, residents and visitors alike.”��

The hotel and performing arts center are set to be complete by fall 2026. ��

Revitalization efforts in the campus village will extend through 2027, introducing new residential options such as apartments, for-sale townhomes, and expanded retail and dining venues. Additional spaces will be created for students and the surrounding community, including a Center for Innovation that will feature a prototyping lab, media production and design areas, and career development centers. This three-story building will be designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurship.��

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Lilly Endowment Inc. recently awarded the Indiana University Foundation a $10.9 million grant to support renovation of the university’s internationally renowned Lilly Library, IU President Michael A. McRobbie has announced.

Consistently regarded as one of the nation’s top libraries for books and manuscripts of the greatest importance, the Lilly Library was established in 1960 to house the extensive private library of the late Josiah K. Lilly Jr., one of Lilly Endowment’s founders. The collection he donated includes more than 20,000 rare books and 17,000 manuscripts.

The Lilly Library now contains more than 450,000 rare books, 8.5 million manuscripts and 150,000 sheets of music. Part of the IU Libraries, the venerable limestone building is in the heart of IU Bloomington’s Fine Arts Plaza, the campus’s center for the arts and humanities.

Students often come to the Lilly Library as part of their coursework to review some of the one-of-a-kind materials preserved in the facility.

“Indiana University’s Lilly Library is a state, national and international treasure, and a testament to the vision and generosity of J.K. Lilly Jr.,” said McRobbie. “It has always been universally acclaimed for its unique, world-class collections. Its vibrant and stunning materials continue to astonish all those who use them.

“With this extraordinary support from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Lilly Library will greatly improve its ability to provide wide access to the library’s rare books, manuscripts and objects to broader audiences — from children to lifelong learners and scholars — enhancing all of our communities.”

The Lilly Endowment grant will support major upgrades to the 52,516-square-foot facility’s mechanical systems and lighting, technological equipment, fire protection and security systems, ADA access and building navigation, and space configuration. These improvements will enable maximum preservation and an enhanced and more modern presentation of the library’s literary and cultural treasures, which require special handling and can only be accessed in secure on-site areas. They will also allow students, scholars, researchers, educators and other visitors to more effectively access and experience the library’s one-of-a-kind materials, which are frequently and increasingly incorporated by IU faculty into their teaching, research and creative activities.

“Lilly Endowment is most pleased to support this comprehensive renovation,” said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment’s chairman, president and CEO. “The Lilly Library meant a great deal to J.K Lilly Jr., who was one of our three founders. These improvements will significantly further his interest in having his magnificent collection, which he so passionately assembled, appreciated and used by future generations.”

According to Lilly Library director Joel Silver, courses taught on site have increased by more than 225 percent since 1992. In 1960, the Lilly Library’s total collection numbered approximately 100,000 rare books and 1 million manuscripts. Today, the book collection has increased 350 percent, and the manuscript collection has grown 750 percent.

The Lilly Library will continue to meet researcher requests for access to its collections and other services in the Herman B Wells Library during construction, which is expected to begin late this year. The library facility is expected to be closed for about 18 months.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. —��Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology recently announced that it received a $15 million lead gift from an anonymous donor to support construction of a new academic building that will provide collaboration workspaces, design studios, flexible classrooms, chemistry laboratories and faculty innovation spaces.

The anonymous donation will fund over half of the $29 million building that is set to open for the 2021-22 school year.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new building will be held during the college’s homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The building was designed by RATIO Architects, and its architecture will have a central atrium and lots of interior and exterior glass to let in light and showcase the work taking place within, making it a “window into Rose” concept that showcases curricular innovation, laboratory activities and collaboration of students, faculty and staff members.

“The design of this new academic building reflects our focus on active engagement in learning within a collaborative, mentoring environment,” said Rose-Hulman President Jim Conwell.

“We’re grateful to our lead donor for supporting our vision for science, engineering and math education, and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as a result of this generous gift.”

Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, Rose-Hulman has an enrollment of approximately 2,200 undergraduate students and nearly 100 graduate students.

The 60,000-square-foot, three-story building will be located on the east side of campus, between Moench Hall and Myers Hall.

The first floor of the new building will host flexible and easily adaptable design spaces for student projects and design studios for the new engineering design academic program. Students and teams will be able to utilize breakout spaces throughout the floor to collaborate on projects. Students also will have access to a prototyping laboratory, laser-cutting devices, machine tools and a woodworking shop.

Six classrooms with flexible learning spaces will be featured on the second floor, along with three breakout rooms and booths for student workspaces. Innovation spaces will allow faculty to work on research projects with students.

New state-of-the-art chemistry laboratories will provide separate spaces for instruction and hands-on learning of general, organic, analytical and physical chemistry, and undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry research with faculty.

There will be dedicated space for preparing chemistry and biochemistry experiments before moving activities to a laboratory, and facilities for faculty and students to explore edible chemistry projects. An instrument laboratory and an area for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy equipment will also be included.

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Barton Coe Vilamaa is no stranger to Goshen Community Schools (GCS), and in fact was part of the team that worked on the school corporation’s last major construction endeavor, a $17.15 million referendum project finalized in late 2015. This previous endeavor included substantial construction projects at both Goshen High School and Goshen Middle School, including up to $10 million for a new aquatic center at the middle school to replace the outdated pools at the middle school and high school.

With the hiring by the school board now a done deal, Barton Coe Vilamaa will be focusing its next efforts on the corporation’s newest undertaking, a $65 million referendum project approved by district voters in May that will have a positive impact on countless local students. The new endeavor includes the new construction of an intermediate school for grades 5 and 6, conversion of the current middle school to serve grades 7 and 8, plus a number of upgrades at the high school.

“We were very pleased with their work during that (last) project. And as an addition, they’ve been our district architect of record for smaller projects in the intervening years, such as assisting with the specifications for the GHS football bleachers and the Chandler wall,” GCS Superintendent Diane Woodworth told the Goshen News of the corporation’s history with the firm. “So since Barton Coe Vilamaa has been a very trustworthy partner for the district, we would like to recommend that you approve them as the architect for the upcoming construction project that includes building a new intermediate school and an addition to GHS.”

The proposed project will reportedly include four primary sections: a new intermediate school; additions and renovations to Goshen High School (GHS); renovations to Goshen Middle School (GMS); and contingency funds.

As outlined in the proposal submitted by the firm, the new building, serving grades 5 and 6, will be approximately 190,000 square feet in size, including some portions having two stories. Referring to the planned addition and renovations to GHS, the proposal noted that this portion of the project includes newly constructed additions to, as well as renovations of existing interior space at, the high school.

“The new additions are anticipated to include potentially 30,000 square feet of new building area, potentially on three stories,” the proposal stated. “The renovations are anticipated to affect potentially 20,000 square feet of existing floor space and other related infrastructure improvements in various locations through the building.”

According to the proposal, the GMS renovation project consists of renovations of existing interior space at the middle school involving approximately 20,000 square feet of existing floor space and other related infrastructure upgrades in numerous locations throughout the building.

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