Pitt to Dedicate Sennott Square Sept. 5

August 27, 2002

PITTSBURGH—Sennott Square, the largest academic building constructed for the University of Pittsburgh since Posvar Hall was completed in 1978, will be dedicated officially at 2 p.m. Sept. 5. Among those participating in the ceremony will be Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg and Provost James V. Maher.

Calling Sennott Square a "very significant building, both for Pitt and Oakland," Chancellor Nordenberg added, "It is a strikingly attractive facility, will be the site of important academic work, and also is a positive addition to the campus commercial district."

Sennott Square—a six-story, 248,000-gross-square-foot facility—occupies a city block and is bounded by Sennott and Bouquet streets and Forbes and Oakland avenues.

The second floor of the building is dedicated to the College of Business Administration, Pitt's undergraduate business college. Floors three and four are used by the Department of Psychology, while the fifth and sixth levels house the Department of Computer Science and a law clinic.

The building has nine classrooms and two large seminar rooms. All classrooms feature state-of-the-art technology, including a new $400,000 Eli Lilly Videoconferencing Lab.

The first floor is committed to retail space, and the first tenant, Panera Bread, is preparing to open. A number of other businesses have expressed interest in leasing space. The facility has 70 short-term parking spaces underground and 18 metered street-level parking spaces.

Sennott Square was constructed to be an environmentally friendly building. All carpeting was made from recycled materials, and built-in recycling bins have been installed on every floor. In addition, the building employs computer-based lighting, temperature controls, and other systems to maximize energy efficiency.

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