It is Høgskolebygget AS, owned by the local college foundation and Rimfeldt Eiendom AS, which is the client.
Our primary goal is not to build itself, but to contribute to local and regional innovation by bringing together research, educational institutions, business developers and many local businesses – both new and old – under one roof. We see great opportunities for exciting development here, says Annette Millbay, the newly appointed director of Innlandet Science Park (ISP).
The 5,600 square meter building spread over four floors will be a pilot project for the ISP. When the project in Kongsvinger is ready for occupancy in 2024, construction of a similar center in Hamar will begin a few months later. After a few more years, Elverum will acquire the Science Park.
– In that sense, this is going to be a pilot project, where we’ll definitely gain experience and make some changes along the way – and we can take useful lessons with us to my other two build projects.
The new building will be located approximately six meters from the existing college building.
space for more
It is already clear that Inlandit University, through its Creds Research Center, will be a significant tenant, as well as Kongsvinger University College, Klosser Innovation and 7Sterke. Among commercial tenants, Telenor is the largest, with more than 100 employees who will move their workplace from Rasta in just two years.
But there will be room for more companies in the common area, as Sparebankstiftelsen Hedmark has bought an entire division.
The goal is to bring in more business as tenants, preferably from all types of businesses. By bringing together many different players under one roof, we hope to create an arena where good ideas can flourish and develop further — and through common touchpoints and frequent dialogue with the research environment and place of study, this can lead to growth and innovation, Milbay says.
local contractor
Ø M Fjeld won the tender and was selected as the contractor for the construction project with an initial price of NOK 172 million. Construction begins with blasting of 6,000 cubic meters of hard rock at the site, west and six meters from the existing college building – and with NTG/Kongsvingerhallen as the nearest neighbor on the other side of Markensveien.
“We obviously think it’s a great honor to have such a big local assignment, and we’re looking forward to getting started,” says Regional Director Ole Martin Bjerke and Erik Seigerud, Head of Accounts and Project Development at Ø.M. mountains.
At most, about 70-80 employees will be involved in the construction project.
The construction work will be carried out in accordance with the environmental certification BREEAM-NOR Very Good, and the contractor will take with it, among other things, experience from the construction of the new furniture factory in Vestre in Magnor, where the construction work was completed earlier. this summer. .
logistical challenges
The office building itself is the type of construction project that we have many similar to, but the location in the city center means we are preparing for some additional logistical challenges here. Much of the block will be moved farther and across parts of the city center in the initial phase, as well as the fact that many road users – especially schoolchildren and students – commute in the local area every day. Therefore, we have to make some additional adjustments and security measures, assures Ole Martin Bjerke.
In the first weeks, moving several hundred trucks from the stone blocks will affect the traffic situation in the city center, but the plan is to avoid times when queues are already large today as much as possible.
The recent market situation has also pushed up costs significantly, and there is still some uncertainty about access to certain goods and services – such as steel. But those involved have great confidence that the timetable will be adhered to.
become more attractive
Wiegard Herling, Director General of the University Centre, expects the university district to become more attractive with the new building.
– Today’s buildings are really quite small, and it wasn’t a few days ago that I had to turn away interested parties who wanted to move in with us. Now I hope more people are active here. The construction work will certainly affect the lives of students and staff in the coming year with some additional noise and activity in our area, but we will handle that as best we can, Herlyng promised.
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