Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship: Construction Underway
2 min readYEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) is pleased to share progress highlights of the construction project of the University’s Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship. This is the second of two buildings donated to AUA by philanthropists K. George and Dr. Carolann Najarian in 2016. Upon successful completion of the first building, AUA Student Residence, the construction of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship started in mid-April 2021 and is currently in the phase of site preparation and excavation works.
The building’s balcony facade, which will be restored after construction.
The project is made possible through a generous grant of $900,000 from the Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), awarded in 2018. USAID/ASHA supports American schools, libraries, and medical centers abroad to train future leaders in a wide array of disciplines to promote American ideas and practices.
The AUA Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship project involves the construction of a fourth floor to the existing building, bringing the Center’s total space to 1,351 sq.m. of net usable space (1,691 sq.m. gross space) that augments the functionality and utility of the building. The Center will house the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE), the Center for Research in Applied Linguistics (CRAL), as well as serve as a site for a new partnership with Impact Hub Yerevan. The Center’s conference facilities and state-of-the-art meeting platforms will create an engaging and creative atmosphere to collaborate with diverse community groups and larger segments of society.
The selection of the best-value bidder was made through an open and transparent bidding process organized by AUA in accordance with its established procurement requirements. The architectural design of the Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship was completed by “Ket Architect” CJSC — Storaket Architectural Studio. Care Building Services (CBS) LLC was selected for the project’s construction and finishing works and “Consel” Ltd. for implementing the heating-ventilation and air conditioning works.
The AUA Najarian Center for Social Entrepreneurship project is expected to be completed at the end of 2023.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.