Specifications include, but are not limited to: A 45,000 GSF multi-story facility with a program focus on flexible research labs, associated faculty workspaces, instructional labs, and associated lab service spaces. The building will be located near Herty Hall and will be designed with materials and detailing compatible with the historic GCSU campus character. The program will be developed to integrate with the spaces that will result from a future renovation of Herty Hall. The basis for the program for the new facility is the result of a facility assessment and program planning study for Herty Hall, the main science facility at GCSU. The study identifies six different space needs in the current building configuration. Research (+ lab support), teaching (+lab support), classrooms, offices, collaboration and community outreach. As program needs have increased, teaching and research space has been compromised due to the lack of proper prep and storage space. Utilization numbers are high, but do not reflect the loads placed on spaces by faculty and students completing lab work beyond the normal scheduled hours. This problem is exacerbated by lab supplies being stored within the labs making it necessary to do prep in the labs as well. Partial renovations over the years have not been able to provide dedicated spaces for these functions. With additional square footage, new dedicated research space with separate prep and storage areas, the new facility will provide shared bench space that meets program needs in an efficient manner. This will free space in Herty to be developed appropriately for teaching.