Construction Process

Following several months of preparation, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building took place on May 2, 2008.

To prepare the site for the new construction, eight varied buildings on the 1300 block of University Avenue, including the historic Rennebohm building, needed to be razed and removed. Champion Environmental Services, Inc., a Madison-based environmental remediation, demolition and recycling contractor began work in March 2008 with only a six week window to take down the buildings before Terra Construction Co. of Madison began excavation.

According to George Austin, WARF's manager for the construction project, the construction team has recycled or reused 98 percent of the materials that made up the former block, surpassing its goal of 85 percent for material reuse.

The first phase of the construction process was completed in May 2009, when the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building was "topped out," signaling the end of vertical construction.

As of September 2010, construction was approximately 90 percent complete and on schedule. Completed work includes interior finishing, stairways, flooring, wood paneling and the installation of the laboratory casework. Exterior site work around the facility also has been completed.

As of December 2010, the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building is open for discovery.