The P3 (public–private partnership) concept is getting a tryout at the University of Kansas, where state funding for construction has fallen from 20% of project costs to about 11% over the last 10 years, according to James Modig, KU’s University Architect and Director of Design and Construction Management.
Despite those cutbacks, the university has $352 million worth of building projects in design or under construction this year, up from $100–150 million annually in recent years, says Modig.
Kansas is in the RFP stage of its first P3 project, a new “gateway” housing facility that will be a key component of KU’s Central District Plan, the centerpiece of its 2014–2024 Campus Master Plan.
In addition to providing capital funds, the owner will maintain the building during the projected 30-year lease. With a $300 million maintenance backlog and an annual maintenance budget of only $9.4 million, having a developer assume maintenance costs will be a welcome innovation, says Modig.
Learn more about P3 and other creative project financing strategies in BD+C's Special Report, “How your firm can help struggling colleges and universities meet their building project goals.”
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | May 31, 2016
Gonzaga's new student center is a bustling social hub
Retail mall features, comfortable furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass add vibrancy to the new John J. Hemmingson Center.
University Buildings | May 26, 2016
U. of Chicago approves Diller Scofidio + Renfro design for new campus building
With a two-story base and 165-foot tower, the Rubenstein Forum will have room for informal meetings, lectures, and other university events.
University Buildings | Apr 27, 2016
SmithGroupJJR’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Building named 2016 Lab of the Year
Sustainable features like chilled beams and solar screens help the University of Illinois research facility use 50% less energy than minimum building energy efficiency standards.
University Buildings | Apr 25, 2016
New University of Calgary research center features reconfigurable 'spine'
The heart of the Taylor Institute can be anything from a teaching lab to a 400-seat theater.
University Buildings | Apr 13, 2016
Technology defines growth at Ringling College of Arts & Design
Named America's “most wired campus" in 2014, Ringling is adding a library, visual arts center, soundstage, and art museum.
University Buildings | Apr 13, 2016
5 ways universities use new buildings to stay competitive
From incubators to innovation centers, schools desire ‘iconic gateways’ that appeal to students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and the community.
University Buildings | Apr 4, 2016
3 key trends in student housing for Boston’s higher education community
The city wants to add 18,500 student residence beds by the year 2030. CannonDesign's Lynne Deninger identifies three strategies that will help schools maximize value over the next decade or so.
University Buildings | Mar 15, 2016
Behnisch Architekten designs Harvard’s proposed Science and Engineering Complex
The 497,000-sf building will be the home of the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
University Buildings | Mar 11, 2016
How architects can help community colleges promote community on campus
Even in the face of funding challenges and historic precedent, there are emerging examples of how partnership between two-year academic institutions and designers can further elevate community on campus. CannonDesign's Carisima Koenig has a few key examples.
University Buildings | Mar 1, 2016
The 5 most questionable college and university rankings of 2015
SmithGroupJJR's David Lantz identifies five of the most flawed higher education rating systems, including ones with arbitrary categories, and others that equate college with a transactional investment.