The demolition of the Merton Center is underway to prepare for the construction of the McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry.
Duggan and Duggan General Contractors in Allegany and Spillman Farmer Architects, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania are collaborating on the project.
The university first contacted Spillman Farmer about the new interfaith center in the fall of 2014 according to principal of the firm Dan Harrigan.
“We interviewed for the project with our entire team in December [2014], and our team was selected the same month,” he said. “We would generally expect a project of similar size and scope to take about two years from start of completion.”
Harrigan also recently designed the Numen Lumen Multi-Faith Center at Elon University in North Carolina.
“Our largest project was Global Neighborhood, a six-building community that houses about 600 residents. It had a construction cost of approximately $36 million,” said Russel Pacala, also a principal architect at Spillman Farmer. “However, many of our higher education projects are more modest in scope and range between $1 and $10 million.”
The McGinley-Carney Center will include a great hall that can be subdivided to allow for multifunctional uses, said Harrigan. There will be room for daily student gathering, campus events, and special worship. There will also be a meditation tower room to allow for multi-faith uses, incorporated to encourage diversity and inclusion.
The building will also include a full kitchen, two workrooms, a conference room and offices.
“Overall, the center will be a sacramental place where faculty, students, staff and visitors can explore the universities values of discover, community and individual worth,” said Harrigan.
The Spillman Farmer team explored several different architectural styles. The university approved design features the typical Lombard-Romanesque architecture prevalent on campus.
“The building is modern and features materials such as terra cotta roofs and brick masonry walls,” said Harrigan. “Our design, including its scale and materiality is intended to compliment the campus’ Franciscan-style buildings.”
The design for the McGinley-Carney Center is expected to be 7,605 square feet, much larger than the 5,423 square foot Merton Center. The new center will also include an outdoor patio and fountain to allow for outdoor events when the weather permits.
Despite no permanent classrooms constructed within the building, the great hall’s removable walls allow the area to be used for academic purposes, said Harrigan.
“We found that St. Bonaventure’s project team was very collaborative and willing to open up the design process to many other user groups beyond the University’s administration,” said Harrigan. “This culture of kindness, community and respect allowed the process to flow smoothly, and frankly, made our job very enjoyable! And of course, we will never forget the early morning back in February 2015 when we experienced -15 degree temperatures.”
The center is named for former university president Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., and Board of Trustees Emeriti, John “Jack” McGinley, ’65. McGinley, donated $2.5 million on behalf of the Rita M. McGinley Foundation.
“We have helped academic programs in the science building as well as the Swan building, the Richter Center, and the Franciscan book collection in the library,” said McGinley.
“Since my second term as a trustee, Fr. Dan Riley, Ray Dee and I had discussed with Sr. Margaret the possibility of improving the life of ministry on campus,” he said. “We felt that we should identify priorities reflected in our respect and affection for the Franciscan identity.”
McGinley also felt that his desire to enrich Bonaventure ministry was personal.
“Personally I always wanted to be a Bonnie,” said McGinley. “I never really looked at any other undergraduate school. “
McGinley and his family have been a campus figure since the 1920s, when his uncle Daniel Rooney attended the school. Daniel returned to St. Bonaventure in 1946 as Fr. Silas Rooney, and later became assistant athletics director. As director of athletics, Fr. Silas arranged for the Pittsburgh Steelers to hold its training camp on campus from 1952 to 1957.
“My father, mother and aunt Rita have always joined me in supporting Bona’s,” he said. “Mom was Fr. Silas’ sister. Dad revered him and the friars.”
Despite living in Pittsburgh, McGinley hopes to visit the ministry center often.
“I am honored to be named trustee emeritus and Sr. M. and I are great friends,” he said. “I was lucky to be chair of the board with her. I have a deep appreciation for everyone who generously contributed to make this happen.”
rootcm14@bonaventure.edu
(photo courtesy of Carole McNall)
