Tufts Department of Biology may move from Barnum Hall, the departments base since the late 1930s, to a new space at 574 Boston Ave. in coming years.
University President Anthony Monaco mentioned the potential move at a Senate meeting on Oct. 20. Department of Biology Chair Sergei Mirkin later confirmed the possiblity.
There are plans to relocate biology faculty to the new science building behind Anderson Hall, Mirkin said.
If the move is finalized, it will take place three years from now, he added.
Director of Public Relations Kim Thurler explained that the warehouse at 574 Boston Ave., a space which Tufts is currently renovating, could host a number of science and social science disciplines along with the biology department.
According to a May 7 Medford Patch article, the four-story, 96,000 square foot warehouse may offer new teaching and office space.
The building is located at the corner of Boston and Harvard Avenues in Medford. Prior to May 31 of this year, the warehouse served as a workspace for a number of local woodworkers and artists who had worked together in the building for more than 20 years.
The eviction sparked controversy among community members and Tufts students who argued that the warehouse provided a brain trust of creativity for the people who worked there. While the univeristy provided the former residents with local commercial brokers contact information, the artisans were still struggling to find a suitable location as of last April.
Although the changes are still far in the future, the relocation would provide the biology department with new facilities and resources better equipped for the modern study of biology, Thurler said.
For some time, the university has recognized a need for additional space to serve students and faculty in these disciplines, she said. There has been preliminary discussion of creating a facility for science and engineering.
According to Thurler, in these departments, the current state and size of faculty, classes and students may require an expansion to maintain the universitys high standard of education and research.
Thurler continued to explain that the details are still very scarce and at this point largely undeveloped.
[The] thinking is in the very early stages and it would be premature to speculate on most common questions, she said.
