Oregon State University’s Peavy Forest Science Center is nearing completion after two years. With the initiative started in 2015 by President Ed Ray and former dean Thomas Maness, the planning and creation of the new hall has been four years and $79.5 million dollars in the making. The Department of Forestry is currently spread out among three halls; Richardson Hall, Strand Hall, and Snell Hall. Upon the completion of Peavy Forest Science Center, the 1,130 students that attend the College of Forestry can finally go to one location to find almost everything they need.

Dr. Anthony Davis, Interim Dean of Forestry conveyed his opinion on the effects of the new Peavy Forest Science Center. 

 “Everyone is excited to move into the new building and to be working in a state-of-the-art environment,” Davis said via email. “The buildings are designed to create a collaborative environment and I’m looking forward to seeing how it positively impacts our education, research, and outreach work.”

The goal of the College of Forestry is to use Peavy Forest Science Center to create innovative wood products as well as improving the environment. Considering how green Oregon is, this attitude, direction, and conviction is what Davis believes to be an extremely beneficial component to sustaining our impacts to the ecosystem.

 “OSU is better positioned than anyone to serve as a bridge between our natural resources and meeting the demands of urban growth and renewal,” Davis said. “Wood remains the only primary building material that we can grow. These new facilities represent a critical step in the pathway towards using renewable materials in new ways. ‘’

Similar to Kearney Hall, which was renovated in 2008 to include active inspiration and teaching for students who enter the building, Peavy Forest Science Center and the A.A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory will display countless  ways of using wood in the design and construction of the buildings. As it has been nearly two years since the start of construction on Peavy Forest Science Center, and the A.A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory has been completed, but the current level of completion has been a mystery to the student body.

According to Noe Astorga, head of Finishing, Interior, and Nail Work in Peavy, “The building’s construction is moving along quite rapidly. It’s getting to the stage where we can begin production work so things are moving by pretty fast”. Noe also mentioned getting to see wood on the building compared to other campus buildings has been nice. 

More information on the Peavy Forest Science Center can be found on the OSU Foundation website.