On May 4th at 11:30 a.m. the University of Colorado Student Union, the University Memorial Center Board and the UMC Administration will gather with CU-Boulder students, faculty and staff to celebrate the official groundbreaking ceremony for the UMC Expansion and Renovation project.
The event will take place, weather permitting, outside the UMC at the northwest corner of the building. A reception will follow under the existing UMC outdoor arcade.
Chancellor Richard Byyny, UMC Director Carlos Garcia, UCSU Tri Executive Michelle L. Richardson and UMC Board Chair Stephanie L. Capstick, will speak at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Begun in 1995 with the development of a "spatial needs program," the Expansion and Renovation project will begin its construction phase on May 15. The project will add approximately 51,000 square feet of new space and include the renovation of most of the existing 130,000 assignable square feet.
The 51,000 additional square feet includes a spectacular five-story atrium in the approximate location of the existing loggia on the west end of the main floor. Completion of the $25 million project is slated to occur in June 2002.
Among the benefits of the updated facility are: more student organization office space, more dining room seating, an expanded credit union allowing for more services, additional retail services, additional meeting and conference room space including a new multipurpose room, a new computer lab and a commuter lounge for students.
The UMC is centrally located on the CU campus and currently consists of 212,169 gross square feet. Its extensive variety of facilities, programs and services are intended to provide students and the university community with a wide range of out-of-classroom activities and opportunities.
The UMC began the Expansion and Renovation project in response to extreme overcrowding and a need for additional services.
Key members of the Expansion Project team are architects from Gensler & Associates of Denver and WTW of Pittsburgh, UMC Assistant Director J.C. Ancell, CU campus Architect Michael Barden, and Garcia, Richardson and Capstick. Many hours of input and consultation were logged between students, tenants and the expansion team in all the phases leading up to construction.