UConn’s Wilfred B. Young Building
Storrs, CT – Constructed in 1953, the Wilfred B. Young Building at the University of Connecticut houses classrooms, studios, administrative offices, support and research spaces for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The existing 72,000sf space layout was redesigned by the Design Partnership of Cambridge to better address user needs in the 21st century. The building had not been significantly upgraded since its construction, and O&G Industries, Inc. was hired as the construction manager for the much needed renovation which included glazing, HVAC, electrical, life safety, data and plumbing upgrades.
The redesign of the building’s main entrance area provided for a welcoming “living room” atmosphere for quiet study and casual conversation and floor layouts were reconfigured to improve adjacencies with the department. Additional upgrades included new flooring finishes and ADA accessible bathrooms, reroofing and building envelope repairs. New mechanical rooms were constructed both below the existing building and within the attic space to house new energy efficient HVAC equipment, with mechanical shaft constructed throughout all four floors of the building to distribute the new building systems. Aiming for LEED Silver Certification, the renovations included use of local and recycled content materials, implementation of a waste management plan and an indoor air quality plan, and commissioning of the MEP systems. 
With renovations completed, a rededication ceremony was held, with members of the Young family in attendance. Wilfred B. Young served as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources from 1945 to 1966. During this time he also served as the Director of the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Connecticut and the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station.
Photos by White Point Imaging, Windsor, CT.
