by Biancia Francis

A new building, Center for Environmental and Life Sciences (CELS,) is expected to be constructed at Montclair State University.

The building is to be about 100,000 square ft., with a current $55,000 estimated cost pending. Construction is currently at the programming stage.

“Once the pending documents are approved, then the architect will be contacted,” Vice President of University Facilities, Greg Bressler said.

Mallory Hall currently shares space with the university’s Science Hall to house science classes for the students.

“Mallory Hall will be renovated to create space for a growing and modern department of computer science, now housed in tight quarters in Richardson Hall. In turn, space made available in Richardson will be renovated to allow growth of our large department of mathematical sciences and other CSAM disciplines,” Dean Robert Prezant of the College of Science and Mathematics said.

The validation for the new building is the growth in science and the needed space for students to perform research and studies.

“Out of all majors, Biology is one of the fastest growing careers. Microscopy is already in Mallory Hall, which shows it’s about time; we need more room,” senior Fahad Rouf said.

Much of the space will involve research areas that will bring together people from different departments such as Physics and Chemistry.

Currently these departments are all separated, according to the chair of biology and molecular biology, Quinn Vega. The plan of the program is made across the entire science and math building.

The expected date for the beginning of construction is not yet finalized.

“As a plan, I think it’s a good idea. [The building] provides multiple resources for multiple disciplines,” said Vega.

Mallory, Science and Richardson Halls are all to be looked at, but according to Bressler, the focus is on the planning of the environmental building right now.

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