The new facility will serve as a crossroads for the campus. The building will have enhanced spaces for dining, student clubs and organizations, special events, and daily interaction among students, faculty, staff and visitors/guests. We anticipate a number of events held in the new Campus Center will include alumni and members of the larger Lawrence and Fox Cities community. President Beck has stated that the Campus Center will be “more than just a ‘student center’ – although student life and activities will be the focus of its facilities and services-it will enrich the shared life of the entire college community in essential and exciting ways.”
Please see the What's In the Building?
The Campus Center will qualify as a LEED- (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building at the Silver Level. This means that great care has been taken to be attentive to environmental and recycling issues. For further information about LEED and the project's LEED checklist, see the LEED page on this site
The new building will cost $32.8 million.
After considering all possible options and adhering to the codes of the City of Appleton, the decision was made to direct the deliveries for the Campus Center through the ground level of Sage Hall. No other options met the criteria necessary for deliveries. The creation of the lower-level link through the building has given Sage a new TV lounge, a new laundry room, and a remodeled kitchen. When the project is completed there will be a new patio on the south side of Sage which will unite Sage with the Campus Center and with trail walks that will offer wonderful views.
The building will officially open in the fall of 2009 with the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year. If construction proceeds on schedule and necessary occupancy permits are obtained, we hope to stage several events in the new facility for the Senior Class of 2009 before graduation.
We anticipate the opening of the land bridge in October of 2008, to coincide with the completion of the pedestrian plaza and mall that will extend from the new Campus Center to Meade Street.
Because we value green space, the architects and the planning committees have made a conscious effort to preserve many of these spaces around our new building. Handicapped parking and a place for security vehicles will be available near the front entrance of the Campus Center. Most daily use of the new facility will be by members of the Lawrence campus community, so parking will not be necessary. Pedestrian use of the land bridge will be most common route to the Campus Center. When large events are held in the Great View Room, valet parking service will be available.
There are no detailed plans yet. Memorial Union is situated in the college's “academic necklace,” which means it will be used for academic purposes. Discussions about the reuse of Jason Downer Commons will begin in February 2008.
No, the VR will not be in the Campus Center. The new building has been designed so that all spaces are available for use by all members of the campus community. The VR with its age restriction will remain where it is on the lower level of the Memorial Union.
The Campus Center offers a variety of new dining options for the campus. The Campus Center will accommodate all dining services, including student dining on level one, a convenience store on level two, and a café, rather than a grill, at street level near the main entrance. The café will open into the pedestrian plaza for outside dining in good weather, and will feature menus that change depending on the time of day.
Currently we are working with a food services consultant on the most appropriate and flexible meal plan options. Students will be involved in discussions about meal plans during the 2007-2008 academic year.
Student opinions will be solicited regarding the hours of the Campus Center. We will also be concerned with safety and security when we examine the hours of the building.
Careful planning has gone into equipping the new Campus Center with up-to-date networking, presentation, and access control systems. The Center will, of course, be on the campus network and will be extensively “wired” so that access to that network can be had easily from offices and public spaces within the building. In particular, all public spaces in the Campus Center will afford wireless access to the campus network. Further, a general-access computer lab will be located in the campus life area on the fourth floor. More information about the building's technology can be found in the technology section of What's in the Building?