Venable itself is slated to be destroyed to make room for two new buildings and additions to Phillips and Sitterson halls as part of the decade-long project.
Three phases break up construction, with Phase I scheduled to begin in May 2003 and to finish by May 2006.
For Phase II of the project, officials are planning the building of a 400-car parking deck and a chiller plant, while Phase III plans include a new Venable and an addition to Sitterson. The whole complex is slated to be finished by 2008.
"The purpose of Phase I is to build enough space so we can tear down Venable," facility architect Peter Krawchyk said. "We plan to build 270,000 square feet of additional buildings."
One of the new buildings will be located near Dey Hall, and the fencing already has been erected in preparation for the construction. This building will house modernized chemistry laboratories, the Department of Chemistry and a nuclear magnetic resonance suite.
An addition to Phillips Hall also is planned for Phase I. It will contain an astronomy observation deck and low vibration research space, which officials say is important for the marine sciences.
"What will go on here is laboratories that are modern," said Royce Murray, Kenan professor of chemistry. "It is remarkable the quality of science teaching that goes on here now despite the lack of modern facilities, but that will change."
The change, which will cost about $200 million, will be funded mainly by University grants and private donors and in part by money from the $3.1 billion N.C. Higher Education Bond, which was passed in 2000. Fund raising is under way for Phases II and III, and organizers are confident that the project will stay on track.
A core committee -- consisting of the chairmen of the affected departments and headed by Murray -- made most of the plans. Departments involved are chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics, computer science and marine science.
