By Lexie V. Owen | Echo
Final details for the design of the Larita R. Boren Campus Center have been determined and are currently being drawn up.
"We had the majority of the plans finalized two weeks ago," said Vice President of Business Administration Ron Sutherland. "There are just a couple of areas we've been adjusting. Hopefully in the next week we'll have the last questions answered."
A few significant changes were made to the original plan for the center. These changes mainly involve the dining area and the plan to move the campus store.
"The project had grown to a size we didn't know if we could afford," Sutherland said. "We began prioritizing what had to be in the space. We moved some offices around and removed a classroom, which wasn't critical. We decided to leave the campus store in the dome and have a small retail space hopefully located next to the food space."
In addition, the Stuart Room will now become the planned space for Taylor World Outreach and intercultural programs. The university also requested that Chick-fil-A act as a food provider, but this proposal is still under review.
A significant amount of funds were raised for the building in the past three months alone. At the beginning of the semester, $4.1 million in gifts and pledges were secured. Funding for the Campus Center has now reached $18.4 million out of $20 million. The objective is to secure the final $1.6 million by the end of January 2015.
"We're grateful to the significant generosity by alumni, parents and friends in the past three months," said Vice President for University Advancement Ben Sells. "Based on fundraising, progress, construction planning and Board of Trustee approval, a tentative groundbreaking date is April 9, 2015."
By May 31, 2015, the staff working in the building will need to be relocated. A temporary location has not yet been decided.
"We'll be getting all new seats in Rediger with new flooring throughout the whole space, along with new lights and new sound at some level," Sutherland said.
Renovation work will begin on the chapel area during the summer and will hopefully be finished by Dec. 1, just in time for campus Christmas events such as Sing Noel. Meanwhile, chapels during the fall will most likely be held in Odle Arena or outdoors in good weather.
According to Sells, construction will take 11-12 months with a tentative opening scheduled for April 2016.
