A building project that was approved by the Utah Legislature in its recent session will be the largest in the history of Southern Utah University.
A $14.17 million addition to the Centrum and the Student Center received approval for construction when the Legislature passed a state bond that includes $5.6 million toward the SUU project. The remaining $8.57 million to be spent on the building will be funded through a revenue bond, private gifts and a contribution by the Iron County Commission toward a convention center that will be included in the new facility."The university is indebted particularly to Representative Bud Bowman who gave a yeoman effort in behalf of SUU including restoring the building to the bond when, at one time, it had been removed by northern Utah legislators," stated SUU President Gerald R. Sherratt.
"Representative Bowman put together a coalition of legislators to ensure the SUU building was included on the bond, and we are very grateful for his tireless efforts in support of this project."
The new building has been in the planning process for several years, according to Sterling Church, vice president for student services at SUU. It will include facilities to house various offices of the student services division, a student programming area, expanded auxiliary space and a convention center.
The facility will be built between the Centrum and the Student Center, creating a single building anchored on the west by the special events arena and on the east by the Student Center lounge.
A 25-foot-wide corridor will extend the length of the building, with the various offices of student services (admissions, registrar, cashier, placement, student employment, financial aid, etc.) to the north of the corridor. To the south will be a ballroom, theater, multipurpose room, the convention center, a food court and specialty shops, as well as an expanded bookstore and food service operation.
The addition will contain 143,000 square feet of space and will be the largest in size and in cost in SUU's 97-year history.
The building is being designed by the Salt Lake architectural firm of Brixen and Christopher. Groundbreaking is scheduled for late spring 1994, and completion is scheduled by the university's centennial in March 1997.