The student union is scheduled to open August 2010.

Plans unveiled for new student union

By: Alexia Lang

Posted: 9/22/08

UMKC will soon break ground on a new $38.3 million student union designed with sustainability and student input in mind.

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.

In addition, 90 percent of construction will be with certified wood and low mercury lamps will be used throughout, according to Vaeth.

Funding for the new union is coming from a student-voted increase in student fees.

Paris Saunders, assistant vice chancellor of Auxiliary Services, said a financial return is expected on the building in five years.

"The goal was to achieve a project with minimum cost to students," Saunders said. "The goal is to cover the cost of the project."

A tag line used for this project is "A new you for you by you," and Bob Simmons, assistant vice chancellor of Campus Facilities, said the motto has remained true.

"We continue to get student feedback," Simmons said. "This is about making our students feel like they have something to do on campus."

The Student Union Planning Committee is a student-led and student-directed group. Additionally, the Student Board of Governors will play a key role in selecting the food establishments included in the new union.

Once the new union opens, it will also provide new job opportunities for students on campus.

"I think the new union will add dramatically to students' opportunities to grow," Paul Shang, assistant vice chancellor of Student Affairs, said. "We have talked a lot about people being able to congregate and meet."

Simmons said it has not been determined what the current student union will be used for once the new building opens.

"We hope to centralize campus services" he said.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the new Student Union will be open to all students, staff and faculty. It will be held at 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at the corner of Cherry and 51st streets.

More information and project updates can be found at www.umkc.edu/union.

alang@unews.com