York University’s Board of Governors has approved the preliminary design and budget for the York University Markham Centre campus project, an important milestone along the way to opening the new campus in September, 2021.
Approval of the design and budget for the approximately $253-million project means the design development phase will now begin, including production of construction documents in preparation for tendering. The university intends to start construction by the end of 2018.
An artist's rendering of the design for the new Markham Centre campus
“This important milestone sets a clear path toward York’s new Markham Centre campus opening its doors in 2021,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “We look forward to getting shovels in the ground on a new campus that will contribute significantly to helping us realize our vision for York as well as to city-building in Markham. The Markham Centre campus supports our commitment to increase access to a high-quality, research-intensive university education, and to enhancing our connectedness to local and international communities. We have outstanding partners in Markham and we are eager to move this exciting project forward.”
The York University Markham Centre campus , located west of the Markham Pan Am Centre, will offer 4,200 students in a high-growth part of the province access to more than 20 degree programs, including a variety of professional programs as well as innovative joint programs with York’s academic partner on the project, Seneca College. York University will partner with local businesses and industry to provide unique experiential learning opportunities for students and contribute to the region’s major economic clusters.
York University’s new campus will become an integral part of Markham’s city centre, an important city-building initiative by York in cooperation with the City of Markham and surrounding neighbours and stakeholders.
Preliminary design for the campus, by Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc., features a large, landscaped campus commons area and a 10-storey building at the southeast corner of Enterprise Boulevard and Rivis Road. A four-storey podium with double-height glazing will create strong visual impact, maximize light penetration into the building, and enhance a sense of connectedness with the neighbourhood. The new campus will welcome about 1,000 students per year after it opens in 2021, increasing to 4,200 over four years.
The design process followed extensive consultation and workshops with representatives of York Faculties to gather information about planned courses, requirements for teaching and learning space and projected enrolment, and reflects what students said in a university-wide survey about what they value in terms of common space. The result is a preliminary design that will maximize flexibility and focus on access and student life.
The Ontario government committed in June to provide $127.3 million toward the cost of the new campus which will be built on a site of approximately five acres that will be contributed by the City of Markham, and the Regional Municipality of York will invest $25 million in the new campus. York is also raising funds for this important project from its alumni and friends as part of Impact - The Campaign for York University.
For more information about the Markham Centre Campus click here.