With the first of its two design phases complete, the URBN Center, the state-of-the-art future home of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, is taking shape. The first phase, the interior design, included creating the facility`s floor-by-floor design, identifying what the offices, classrooms, labs, studios, exhibition spaces, screening room and other public gathering spaces will look like and where they will be located. The second design phase, construction, will take place through summer 2010. Architectural and interior design firm Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd. was selected to design the renovations of the URBN Center. The Center includes 3501 Market Street and 3401 Filbert Street, two buildings acquired by Drexel through a $25 million anonymous gift, the largest individual private gift in University history. The 3501 Market Street building is a four-story, 130,000 square-foot structure designed by renowned Philadelphia architect Robert Venturi in the mid-1970s. The building features a notable tiled mosaic Market Street facade. The 3401 Filbert Street building is a 13,000 square-foot structure. "We call the URBN Center `The Space to Create` because that is exactly what it will be," said AWCoMAD dean Allen Sabinson. "The state-of-the-art labs, studios and classrooms will provide our students with the facilities they need to develop their award-winning work." When completed in 2012, the URBN Center will feature light-filled studios, exhibition and performance spaces to foster student and faculty collaborations across AWCoMAD`s disciplines; a new art gallery; a new home for the Drexel Historic Costume Collection; and a black box theater. To view a video about the URBN Center, visit www.drexel.edu/westphal/3501.

In case of severe weather conditions, the University will post closing or delayed opening information on its homepage, www.drexel.edu. The Drexel University College of Medicine closing or delayed opening information will be posted on www...

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Drexel Liberty Scholars Program Established

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.), State Senator Vincent Hughes (D., Pa.), State Representative James Roebuck, Jr. (D., Pa.), Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Philadelphia`s Chief Education Officer Lori Shorr joined President Pennoni, Chairman Richard Greenawalt and University officials at the announcement of the new Drexel Liberty Scholars program on January 28. Mayor Nutter congratulated Drexel on the initiative via a taped video appearance played at the event.

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