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Established in 1966, the James Reserve has become a major test center for a number of national research projects that are laying the foundation for a new type of national environmental research infrastructure. These projects include the NSF-funded Center for Embedded Networked Sensing (CENS) and the evolving National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).
To handle the large number of scientists, engineers, and graduate students involved in these and other projects, the reserve is planning a major upgrade of its current facilities. Plans include:
A 4,300 square foot Research and Engineering Headquarters that will include two engineering spaces, a data center, a library/small meeting room, five offices, a small kitchen and two restrooms. The total construction cost is estimated at $505,000.
The Researcher Housing Compound will consist of three factory-built modules. Each duplex cabin (2 per module) will include a bedroom, bath, kitchen, and living room with desk and internet access. The estimated landscaping and construction costs are $390,000.
Renovation of the reserve’s Trailfinder Lodge (a multi-purpose dormitory originally built in the 1970’s) that will expand its capacity for overnight use and provide a meeting space for up to forty people. The new construction will include a separate kitchen and dining room, three classrooms that can be configured for teaching and training activities, and screened outdoor meeting and dining spaces. The new double and quad occupancy rooms will have new restrooms and a unique outdoor sleeping deck open to the night sky. The estimated cost for this work is $226,000.
The Lolomi Lodge, the original log home constructed in 1946 by Harry and Grace James, will be renovated to replace insect and water damaged logs. This renovation will also expand the lodge’s roofline to accommodate a doubling of the solar photovoltaic array that powers the entire reserve. At the same time, improvements will be made to the building’s solar space heating (active and passive systems), plumbing, electrical, and structural elements. The cost for the renovation of the building is estimated at $279,000, while the expansion of the solar voltaic, hydronics and water systems will be $140,000.
Including environmental planning and permitting, architectual and engineering fees, furnishings, and constuction overhead, the total extimated cost for the entire project is $2 million.
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