In 2024, Vassar College launched an ambitious multi-year asset management initiative to better understand and plan for the capital renewal and maintenance needs of its 52-building portfolio. Roth IAMS was selected to lead the project, completing comprehensive Facility Condition Assessments (FCAs) across the campus to support long-term planning, budgeting, and stewardship.

Using SLAM CAP, the Roth IAMS team collected consistent, defensible condition data across both years of the project. The FCAs formed the foundation of Vassar’s evolving asset management strategy, ensuring that capital decisions are aligned with observed building conditions and lifecycle priorities.

The project consisted of two phases:

2024 – Phase 1

Roth IAMS collaborated closely with Vassar representatives to assess 19 buildings, capturing detailed system-level condition information. Each identified deficiency was prioritized based on urgency and impact, and Class D cost estimates were developed to help guide renewal planning.

2025 – Phase 2

In the second year, the program expanded to include the remaining 33 buildings. Data was collected using the same standardized SLAM methodology to ensure consistency and comparability across all 52 assets.

Across both phases, deliverables included:

• Comprehensive building system condition assessments
• Prioritized renewal recommendations
• Class D budget estimates for capital planning
• Standardized records in SLAM CAP for ongoing reference
• A complete dataset supporting Vassar’s long-term asset management goals

Challenge: Access to background information was limited due to minimal existing digital documentation—many of the buildings date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, making historical data difficult to source.

Solution: Roth IAMS adopted a flexible, iterative information-gathering approach. Rather than delaying work, the team collected available documentation as needed throughout the project, allowing assessments to progress efficiently while ensuring the dataset remained accurate and complete.

By completing the assessments over a two-year period, Vassar gained:

• A full picture of its campus-wide capital renewal needs
• A consistent, defensible dataset to support budget and investment planning
• Prioritized renewal recommendations to inform sequencing and risk mitigation
• A foundation for long-term asset management decision-making

The Vassar College FCA program demonstrates how thoughtful planning, modern tools, and collaborative execution can transform legacy building information into a strategic asset.

By partnering with Roth IAMS, Vassar now has a robust understanding of its campus condition, enabling more confident, transparent, and mission-aligned capital planning for years to come.