Article: Time to raise the roof at University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute?

One of the most recognizable architectural elements in Baltimore's Inner Harbor -- the circus tent-like roof of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute -- may go flat in the next few years.

The University of Maryland System has commissioned an engineering study on the UMBI building, also known as Columbus Center, to determine whether its distinctive, Teflon-coated fiberglass roof needs to be replaced. A full renovation could cost $8 million, according to one UMBI official.

With the university system's budget stretched in a tight economy, that could mean ditching the eye-catching roof structure altogether.

Last month, William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the university system, ...

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