Overview

Georgian Court University (GCU) is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts University founded in 1908 by the Sisters of Mercy. Beginning as an all-women’s college, it became fully coeducational in 2013. The University has more than 1,500 undergraduate students and more than 600 graduate students.

The institution was built on the 156-acre estate formerly belonging to financier George Jay Gould. The site dates back to 1898 and is a National Historic landmark with captivating statuary, beautiful architecture and lush gardens.

Taking a proactive step to preserve the integrity of its buildings and grounds, GCU chose Entech to perform a campus-wide Facility Condition Assessment (FCA).

Twenty-eight (28) buildings were surveyed totaling more than 616,000 square feet with varied uses including administrative, residential, academic, spiritual, student life and maintenance. We also inventoried and assessed campus utilities and the grounds. More than 550 projects were identified with a projected cost of more than $45M in recommended improvements. By prioritizing projects and scheduling repairs over a 10-year period, the University is equipped to manage and budget for anticipated expenses.

Projects noted included upgrades to HVAC systems, roofing, interior and exterior finishes, windows, lighting fixtures, electrical systems, plumbing, and site improvements to the historic campus’ gardens and statuary.

Several primary areas of concern were noted. The University is at risk of losing historic details and materials from the original Gould Estate buildings and landscape elements. Deteriorating building envelopes and statuary will need to be restored in concert with applicable historic property requirements.

The campus storm drainage and sanitary systems need to be addressed. The storm drainage system dates back to the late 1880s-early 1990s and the sanitary system is 50+ years old. The existing infrastructure is past its useful life and beginning to deteriorate. These systems, in addition to other campus utilities, are poorly documented and no master utility plan exists. It was recommended that the University make it a priority to locate and map all utilities on the campus.

The FCA provides Georgian Court with the needed roadmap to improve and enhance their landmark campus and ensure that future generations will benefit from its unique setting.