Department of Education heading to the Faubourg

Concordia’s Department of Education is preparing for a big move that will take it from the J.W. McConnell Building to the Faubourg.

As Concordia’s vision to expand and transform the R. Howard Webster Library gains momentum, Facilities Management worked closely with the department that currently occupies the 5th floor of the McConnell Building.

“When the Faubourg was proposed, I must admit I had some concerns about the location,” says Richard Schmid, chair of the department. “I wasn’t sure it would be able to meet our needs.”

But the opportunity for the department to custom design their space is very attractive, and Schmid has been pleased by how receptive Facilities Management, the architects, Concordia’s Security Department and others have been at each stage of the project’s development.

“We bring up challenges and they have been largely addressed, creatively and effectively,” he says. “The department understands that the library transformation is in the best interests of the university, and particularly the students. We accept that the implications for us are major, and admittedly disruptive. The department is internationally highly ranked, so everyone benefits from examining all options. Our goal is to realize the best possible solution for all stakeholders.”

As part of this plan, two large and very successful education research centres will also have the chance to custom design their space, in the Grey Nuns Annex just behind the Faubourg.

The process included the presentation of a second option, which notes Schmid was important in assessing all available options to best meet the department’s needs.

On Friday, March 14, the departmental council met to discuss the two proposals on the table. “Not moving was not an option,” says Schmid, who commends the university for its vision for the library. “We weighed the options and a clear majority of the council endorsed the Faubourg plan.”

The relocation schedule would see the department moving to its new home in late spring or in the early summer of 2015.