Ceremony marks construction milestone of OSU's new interdisciplinary research building

Thursday, May 21, 2009

OSU President Burns Hargis signs the strobic fan as OSU A&M Regent Calvin Anthony looks on. The signing of the fan helped mark the topping out ceremony for the Interdisciplinary Science Research Building. The $70 million project is scheduled to be completed Fall 2010.

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(STILLWATER, OKLA. – May 21, 2009) -- More than 150 people gathered today to celebrate the topping off of the new Interdisciplinary Science Research Building at Oklahoma State University. The event was hosted by Flintco Construction.

“This is an important day in the progress of this state-of-the-art facility,” said Dr. Stephen McKeever, OSU vice president for research and technology transfer. “We thank construction manager Flintco, architects Rees Associates and all those who have worked so hard to get the building to this point. We look forward now to the interior completions and the eventual occupancy of the building.”

As part of the event, those present were able to sign a strobic fan, which will be used to exhaust air from the building. The fan was then hoisted by a 167-foot-tall tall tower crane to the roof. The event also marks the end of need for the large crane, which has become somewhat of a staple on campus since its installation last February. The crane will be dismantled May 29-31.

“This interdisciplinary research building is a huge step that will allow researchers from across our campus and across disciplines to come together and creatively work toward solutions to solve many problems and better the lives of us all,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “This building goes to the heart of our land-grant university mission of research.”

Flintco Division President David Kollmann also spoke, praising the workers who are making the building a reality.

The ISRB is the single-largest project of the Oklahoma Higher Education Capital Bond Program, which was signed into law by Governor Brad Henry in May of 2005. The high-tech, 137,000-square foot building will be three floors plus a basement, and will contain custom-designed facilities for research in biodiversity, biophysics, photonics, synthetic chemistry and advanced materials. It is on schedule to be completed by Fall 2010.