Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The University of Vermont (UVM) Horticulture Research and Education Center (HREC) has productively hosted agriculture and food systems research and teaching programs for over seventy years, however, through new partnerships, both cross-departmental and with the new USDA ARS Food Systems Research Unit, UVM has a greatly expanded mission in Food Systems which has outpaced the HREC's existing building facilities.The UVM College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Office of Planning, Design, and Construction have been updating the HREC mission and master plan, resulting in project components intended for phased implementation. This RFAP will include immediate construction of a flex-use research and teaching pavilion for which shovel-ready plans are already in-place (Phase 1), and the development of buildable construction documents for Phase 2 of the HREC Master Plan to include a state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom building to support agriculture researchers and instructors. The RFAP award will be leveraged with both our successful fundraising to-date and on-going fundraising by the UVM Foundation and investments by the USDA ARS Food Systems Research Unit and community partners.RFAP funding, alongside our other funding sources, will significantly expand UVM's capacity to conduct research in alignment of many of NIFA's priority areas, but importantly UVM will continue to focus on issues confronting nutrition and agriculture in a region that predominantly supports small, diversified farms.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Since its purchase and development in 1952, the University of Vermont (UVM) Horticulture Research and Education Center (HREC) has served as the primary field laboratory for applied specialty crop research for the state. As host to dozens of research, teaching, and outreach programs presented by faculty and staff from across the institution, HREC plays a critical role in supporting food systems and agricultural research, fostering educational opportunities, and supporting the local food system and improved food access. While use has increased substantially in the past ten years, the building infrastructure is deficient, and is now limiting both present and expanded programs within the University. This RFAP proposal will invigorate an already-underway Master Plan for the facility which will result in significant increases in research and teaching activity and provide improved resources to meet UVM's community outreach mission. Goals related to this NOFA RFAP Project are to: 1) upgrade usable space by constructing a multi-use pavilion for use by HREC researchers, instructors, students, and community stakeholders; 2) solicit broad input for continued program development at the facility, and; 3) develop actionable steps to continue Master Planning and ultimately redevelopment of HREC facilities to meet the needs of present and future programs supporting small- and medium-scale farming and food systems work in Vermont.?
Project Methods
This proposal is especially well-suited for RFAP support because it is needed, appropriately researched, and includes substantial activity and support that will lead to project success. In 2019, the Program of Space Needs developed in the 2012 Blue Sky charette was revisited by HREC Director Terence Bradshaw and CALS Interim Dean Jean Harvey and revised, then returned to PSS faculty for approval. Based on the finalized program, CALS approached UVM Campus Planning, Design, and Construction in late 2019 with a project request for development of a Master Plan to see through the needed upgrades for the facility. It was understood that immediate needs called for a flexible barn-style building for research and teaching use (later iterated as Phase 1 of the resulting Master Plan) that would lighten the space load on the existing classroom / research building, and that complete redesign of the campus was to meet the identified needs (Phases 2 and 3).After a bidding process for architectural services in 2020, Black River Design Architects was commissioned in March 2021 to study the HREC campus. The objectives were twofold: to design a multi-purpose pavilion for immediate construction, and to create a Master Plan document laying out a vision for development of the campus in the coming years. Shovel-ready construction documents were developed for the Phase 1 pavilion space and bids solicited in summer 2021. While competitive construction bids were higher than planned for, and thus inflammation of Phase 1 delayed, the Master Planning process was continued so that a complete vision of the requirements for redevelopment of HREC facilities to meet program needs could best be understood.With sufficient funding leveraged through dedicated CALS funds, a received philanthropic donation, and RFAP support, we expect to complete phase 1 and have buildable construction documents for Phase 2 as a result of this proposal. We are confident that bold movement on the first leg of this plan will result in increased attention and funding to see through the completed development of the HREC campus. Completed activities, assessments, and permits for Phase 1 completion that ensure success of this project are outlined in Attachments 4 and 9. As a result of this enabling work, this project is ready to immediately begin work upon receipt of RFAP funding.