More than 150 persons gathered at Saint Vincent College this morning for the ceremonial groundbreaking for a $12 million building that will house the Fred Rogers Center and Saint Vincent College Conference Center.

"Less than three years ago we gathered to announce the establishment of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media at Saint Vincent College, a unique resource planned in collaboration with the late Fred Rogers to promote early learning, the primacy of caring relationships between children and adults and responsible uses of media," noted James F. Will, Saint Vincent College Vice Chancellor and President. "We began this project with profound respect for Fred's lifelong commitment to children and families, with sincere gratitude to the Rogers family, and with deep resolve to honor the teacher, man of faith and friend who touched so many lives."

"Five months ago we gathered again to announce the selection of Davis Gardner Gannon Pope Architecture of Pittsburgh for design of a $12 million, 36,000 square feet building program here to house the Center as well as the Saint Vincent College Conference Center following a design competition of regional and national architectural firms," he continued. "Today, we mark the completion of the final architectural designs and the beginning of site preparation and actual building construction."

Members of the building committee included Milton Chen, Executive Director of the George Lucas Educational Foundation and chair of the Rogers Center Advisory Council; William Isler, Executive Director of The Fred Rogers Center; Joseph Dominic, Director of the Education Program, The Heinz Endowments; Anne-Marie Lubenau, Executive Director of the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh; David Adams, Director of Facilities and Special Projects, Saint Vincent College; Rita Catalano, Associate Director, Fred Rogers Center; and Bob Clouse, Engineering Consultant to Saint Vincent College.

Mr. Will also noted that all $12 million of the needed funding for the construction has been obtained. "I am pleased to report to you that this project is now fully funded by public and private sources with commitments of $5 million from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, $5 million for the Business/Conference Center from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, $1 million from the Heinz Endowments, and $1 million from other sources."

Mr. Chen officially declared the beginning of construction for the Fred Rogers Center and Saint Vincent College Conference Center and led the other members of the Fred Rogers Center Advisory Council in symbolically turning a shovel of soil.

"While the actual educational and archival work of the Rogers Center has been under way for several years now, we have all looked forward to the day when the Center would begin preparations for its new home, a visible symbol of the reality and permanence of the Center and a productive facility where the work of Fred Rogers will be advanced," Mr. Chen commented.

Mr. Chen had high praise for the architectural design. "The building is forward-thinking in technology and design yet the selection of materials and features such as sloped roofs, red brick and structural wood framing creates a strong relationship and connection to the Saint Vincent campus and its historic heritage," he said. "The placement of the building at the new campus entrance road from U.S. Route 30 will provide a visual gateway to the Basilica, the College, and the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve. Adjoining landscaping will include a series of welcoming spaces that reflect the Benedictine spirit of hospitality."

"The Rogers Center portion of the building is about 9,000 square feet and will include space for preservation of the Fred Rogers Archive, a library/research area, a lab/workshop for development and demonstration in early learning and children's media, a Fred Rogers exhibit, meeting rooms and informal gathering space and offices for staff and visiting experts," he continued.

"The Conference Center portion of the building is about 23,000 square feet and includes a main banquet room with seating for up to 300 persons, a large classroom-style meeting room that can accommodate up to 150 persons, breakout rooms, support facilities, an administration suite and an outdoor area suitable for events," he said.

"I am pleased to tell you that this will be a 'green' building," Mr. Chen noted. "It will include a variety of design features for sustainability and the College will apply for national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- also known as LEED -- Silver Certification. This will be accomplished by use of insulated concrete forms with brick facing, wood windows that are clad in aluminum on the outside, extensive use of a state-of-the-art wood-appearance composite material called BOAK, geothermal wells to heat and cool the building with some electrical assist, and abundant natural light with windows facing north for controllable lighting during the day. The landscaping will surround and visually divide a parking area for 430 cars. It will include something called a bioswale for handling storm water runoff in a way that filters it through some marshy plant materials. Roofing material is a metal turncoated stainless steel to maximize the clean runoff of rainwater into a cistern that may be used in the water closets."

"While the details of the construction are interesting and certainly important, I know I speak for the entire advisory council when I say that we are most excited about the philosophy and design criteria that guided the architectural design for the building," Mr. Chen concluded. "The Rogers Center will be a place to gather, to embrace the natural environment and campus community, to encourage creative interaction, exude peacefulness and serenity, encourage participation in campus life, embody the Benedictine spirit of hospitality, community and stewardship, and be modest in character. I am confident that the building we break ground for today will be one that accomplishes all of these goals in a design that is visually striking and distinct as well as highly functional. I can't wait to see it!"

Closing remarks were made by the Rt. Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., Archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey and Chancellor of Saint Vincent College.

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