Monninger Center Open House

An open house was held at the John and Joan Monninger Center for Learning and Research on January 31 at the College at Florham to introduce the University to the new building and area.

Encompassing 20,000 square feet of new construction and 7,500 square feet of renovations to the original library building and Orangerie, the center houses the College Writing Program, the Academic Support Center, library services, six classrooms, space for studying and tutoring and two lounges. The lounge furniture is wired with electricity and has pop-up outlets in the tables.

Left photo: The main entrance of the Monninger Center. Center photo: The FDU seal is etched on the Monninger Center lobby floor. Right photo: The reference library/circulation room.

The ground floor consists of a large lounge looking out of a two-story wall of windows facing the Student Center. Around this lounge area are several classrooms, including two smart classrooms and a 90-seat lecture hall. The smart classrooms have the capability to record and archive class sessions and have 80-inch touch-panel monitors that also double as whiteboards that can store information. The lecture hall, one of the largest classrooms on campus, has a 180-inch screen (made up of nine 60-inch flat-panel monitors) and a state-of-the-art Crestron control system.

The second level has a smaller lounge area overlooking the glass window. The office suites off the lounge area are for college writing and the Academic Support Center. The main entrance of the Monninger Center opens onto the second floor.

Environmentally friendly features include a 20-kilowatt solar panel on the roof and highly efficient windows, insulation materials, HVAC system and boiler. The Venetian blind-style sunshades on the window wall automatically open and close depending on the temperature inside and out. The building is expected to receive LEED certification later this year. In addition, there are two bike racks for those who wish to bicycle around campus, and two showers for those who wish to clean-up before class or work.

Areas in the Monninger Center include, from left, meeting rooms, community study area and a classroom.

The renovated Orangerie has new lighting, new media presentation capabilities, new furniture and new study areas. An all-new reference/circulation room replaces the old reference room, and a new office suite replaces the old circulation room.

For more information go to http:/inside.fdu/features/insidemonningercenter.html . To visit the Monninger Construction Webcam go to http://www.fdu.edu/webresources/webcam3.html .