Site: Sedgwick Reserve
Facility: Field Station infrastructure improvements"
Status: Planning and environmental review, access road upgrade, photovoltaic electrical system installation have been completed;
Projects currently under construction include wastewater treatment system, Tipton Meeting House, single family residence and historic hay barn renovation.
Purpose: New and renovated facilities for research, education, and staff housing
Funding: Road, solar and water system upgrades, the Tipton Meeting House, Las Cumbres Observatory and Director's Residence funded by private sources; wastewater treatment project funded by National Science Foundation; fundraising underway for construction of dormitory and renovation of existing buildings.
Total Cost: $13 million
Site: Sedgwick Reserve
Facility: Field Station infrastructure improvements"
Status: Planning and environmental review, access road upgrade, photovoltaic electrical system installation have been completed;
Projects currently under construction include wastewater treatment system, Tipton Meeting House, single family residence and historic hay barn renovation.
Purpose: New and renovated facilities for research, education, and staff housing
Funding: Road, solar and water system upgrades, the Tipton Meeting House, Las Cumbres Observatory and Director's Residence funded by private sources; wastewater treatment project funded by National Science Foundation; fundraising underway for construction of dormitory and renovation of existing buildings.
Total Cost: $13 million
Infrastructure work necessary to support expanded use of the Reserve have been completed, including improvements to the reserve's access road (2006), installation of a photovoltaic system for cost efficient electricity (2007), construction of a waterline to deliver potable water for drinking and fire suppression (2007), upgrade of internet communication lines (2009), and a new wastewater treatment system (2009). These infrastructure improvements set the stage for future phases of construction.
The current phase of infrastructure improvements include construction of the Tipton Meeting House, a single family residence, and the Las Cumbres Global Telescope Network's Sedgwick Observatory, as well as renovation of hay barn and Sedgwick Family House and installation of a new wastewater treatment system. These projects are on track to be completed in 2010.
Future plans include construction of Research Quarters that will dramatically improve on-site facilities for researchers. This 3,400 square foot building will provide housing for up to 24 students working at the reserve for varying time periods. With an estimated cost of $2.3 million, it will feature both multi-person and individual sleeping quarters, a group kitchen, dining room, and a porch for informal gatherings.
Plans also call for a second staff residence. The one-story cottage would be designed to blend in with the existing ranch structures. With utilities being established in current phasing of residential construction, the estimated cost for a second 1200 square foot residence is $300,000.
A new maintenance facility is needed because the existing maintenance shop is in poor condition and is slated for replacement by the research quarters. The 700 square foot facility, estimated to cost $90,000, will greatly benefit the reserve by providing the facilities needed to maintain reserve equipment and will also be available to researchers who need to construct and repair research structures and equipment.
A number of the existing buildings on the reserve - the original Sedgwick Family Residence, the Art Studio, the Bunkhouse, and a garage, will also be renovated and updated for new uses. The Art Studio, for example, will continue to reflect the rich artistic history of the reserve by hosting rotating visual art displays, while also providing work space for visiting painters and sculptors and a meeting place for small classes. The total cost for removing existing substandard buildings and renovating the Art Studio, Family Residence, and Bunkhouse is estimated at $2.2 million.
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