Spring Break
Plans unveiled for new student union
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 9/22/08 Section: News
|
Plans were presented to the university community at a campus Town Hall meeting last Monday.
Representatives from Gould Evans, the architecture firm, and McCownGordon Construction, LLC, were on hand to describe the new building and answer questions.
Dennis Straight, the Principal-In-Charge at Gould Evans, said, "This is an opportunity to create a new center on campus for union life. We will build on and capture the vitality built along University Way."
The new four-story union will be built at the corner of Cherry and 51st streets. Although the ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 3, construction on the 108,300 square foot building won't begin until March 2009. It is expected to be open by August 2010.
The first floor of the student union will include the first level of a two-story bookstore and a 300-350-seat theater used for anything from viewing films to small performances based upon student needs.
The main outdoor entrance to the second floor will be a wide staircase designed as a meeting and congregating place for students. A coffee shop, food services with 300 seats, the upper level of the bookstore, event space and an atrium connecting the top three floors complete the second floor.
The third floor will consist primarily of office space for student organizations, including a suite for the Student Government Association.
The top floor will feature a garden terrace and some enclosed meeting areas. The garden terrace will act as student garden offering another outdoor area for students to meet and congregate.
Chris Vaeth, project manager for McCownGordon, said the green aspects of the building have been taken into consideration throughout the preliminary planning process.
"One of the important aspects we realized early on was the sustainability issues," he said.
The new student union will be built up to LEED standards, which certifies the building will have a minimal environmental footprint.
It will have a grain roof, porous pavers on the garden terrace and landscaping that will not require irrigation, all helping to achieve a 30 percent water-use reduction. The design allows for rainwater to be funneled and collected to be used for watering.
Be the first to comment on this story