NEW YORK CITY-Before New York University proposed to create a new home for its School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Bjorn Hanson, divisional dean of the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, tells GlobeSt.com that he used to be scattered across 20 different academic buildings throughout NYU’s Midtown and Downtown locations. But after he and other NYU-SCPS divisions moved into a new 117,000-square-foot facility at 7 East 12^th St., Hanson says the new space has created greater opportunities for student and faculty interaction.

“We wanted a building that could look and feel like a new building,” Hanson says, describing NYU-SCPS’ new energy-efficient location inside the former Fairchild Building, which was gut renovated to include 65,000 square feet of office space and 52,000 square feet dedicated to classrooms. “Our sense was to really make a statement,” he says, explaining that approximately 80% of the SCPS divisions now are located in the 12-story building within the university’s main Washington Square campus. “We wanted students who walked in through the front door to have a sense that this is really new and therefore, hopefully exciting.”

In addition to the Tisch Center, the new facilities feature conference rooms, computer labs and student lounges for the Paul McGhee Division, Liberal Studies and Allied Arts, the American Language Institute and university-wide administrative offices. Out of the entire renovation, the dedicated administrative area for the Tisch Center is the most substantial, occupying two contiguous floors in the building. In addition to this space, Tisch Center classes, special events, industry gatherings and alumni events will be held in the new location.