MIT's Department of Resource Development and the MIT Alumni Association are scheduled to relocate this summer from seven different buildings on campus to a newly renovated building at the western end of campus.
Starting in June and continuing through July, the two organizations will move to 600 Memorial Drive, known as W98. Resource Development will move first, consolidating staff currently housed in four other buildings on campus. The Alumni Association is set to relocate staff from spaces in three other buildings on campus in July.
The vice presidents of both offices believe the move provides strategic opportunities.
"Having all the Resource Development staff together will strengthen our fundraising efforts and sharing space with our Alumni Association colleagues will allow new synergies to develop," said Jeffrey L. Newton, vice president for Resource Development.
Beth Garvin, executive vice president of the Alumni Association, agreed. "Sharing this new building will give us many more opportunities to collaborate and work together for the benefit of MIT, its alumni/ae, donors, and students," she said.
MIT is completing a yearlong renovation of the seven-story building that will provide 68,000 square feet of office space. The first floor of W98 will include a multi-purpose alumni welcome center. This space will make it easy for alumni, corporate sponsors, parents, and friends of MIT to come together at the western side of campus.
Some of the renovations were designed to save energy. The building interior takes advantage of the large south-facing windows and natural light. The majority of offices are open offices, and private offices have glass walls. In addition, the building will have occupancy sensor lighting that will use heat-and-motion detection to control lights. The building will also have lockers to house 20 bicycles. Although both organizations will complete their moves by the end of July, renovations on the first floor will not be completed until the fall.
Built in 1928, the building was originally a jam and table delicacies factory, and most recently the headquarters for a construction company. W98 overlooks the Charles River and Boston and is owned by the MIT Investment Management Co. Boston-based architectural firm Menders, Torrey, & Spencer, Inc. designed the new space.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 11, 2008 (download PDF).
