At the heart of Syracuse University’s campus stands the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center—a dynamic student hub that houses a full-service dining facility, the 1,500-seat Goldstein Auditorium, the “Underground” nightclub, the main campus bookstore, and a wide range of student service offices.

Following the successful renovation of the Schine Student Center in 2022, our firm was engaged to provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (MEP/FP) engineering, along with lighting design services, for a subsequent phase of improvements. This effort focused on renovating the University Bookstore and developing a new eSports casual gaming and competition suite to enhance student engagement and campus life.

Given the building’s continuous use and central role on campus, the project was carefully delivered in two phases. Phase One, completed in late 2023, involved the renovation and right-sizing of the Bookstore’s second-floor apparel retail space—reducing its footprint from approximately 11,150 square feet to 5,500 square feet through an efficient layout and updated display infrastructure.

Phase Two transformed the remaining 5,650 square feet into a technology-rich eSports suite designed to support both competitive and casual gaming. The space includes:
• Multiple large-format video walls
• Extensive color-changing LED lighting systems
• Dozens of high-performance gaming stations
• Racing simulators and virtual reality zones
• A flexible area for board games and tabletop play

Our team coordinated closely with AV consultant Horizon AVL to ensure seamless integration of technology infrastructure, lighting systems, and power distribution. One of the most significant design challenges was the existing low floor-to-floor height, which constrained traditional overhead infrastructure. To resolve this, we employed a shallow raised access floor system by FreeAxez (under 2 inches in total height) to distribute AV, IT, and power systems below the walking surface—maximizing ceiling clearance while maintaining flexibility.

The project also involved extensive value engineering efforts to help the University manage budget constraints without compromising on functionality or performance. Our design team worked collaboratively with stakeholders through multiple rounds of cost refinement and system adjustments to maintain project goals.

The renovated space, completed at a total construction cost of approximately $7 million, has been extremely well received and is now one of the most active and popular student gathering areas on campus.