Health center design traditional with a 'contemporary twist'


By Anne Dolan

Plans for the new student health center on the west edge of 
campus are moving ahead after the Iowa Board of Regents 
approved a schematic design of the facility March 15. 
According to a timeline for the building, construction bids 
will be taken early in the fall, with building occupancy 
scheduled for May 1997.

The 29,000-square-foot building (two-thirds of which is at 
street level) will have clinic, lab and radiology facilities 
on the ground floor and health education, wellness and 
business services on the second floor.

Located west of Beyer Hall on Union Drive, the health center 
generally will face south, although it will sit at a slight 
angle on the site to maximize green space around the 
building, according to architect Gary VanDyke of Baldwin 
White, Des Moines. 

In describing the appearance of the building, he said it will 
give some "contemporary twists" to the "traditional, 
collegiate architecture" of nearby buildings, including State 
Gym, Friley Hall and the Collegiate Presbyterian Church on 
Sheldon Avenue.


PARKING

Vice president for business and finance Warrren Madden said 
the new health center will displace about 130 parking stalls 
in lots 2 and 3. Those stalls will be replaced in lots south 
and north of the health center, he said. Parking assigned to 
the building will allow up to 12 clients to park near the 
doors. There are four client stalls adjacent to the current 
student health center.

The estimated cost of the building is just under $6 million, 
including construction, extension of university utility 
lines, design and contingency fees. Last fall students began 
paying an additional $8 per semester in fees to pay for the 
new building. Clinic user fees and operations such as the 
clinic pharmacy also will help pay for the building. 
Officials said they don't plan to request any general fund 
money to complete the project.

The current student health center was built in 1924 as a 95-
bed college hospital and has not received significant 
remodeling since 1974. After a three-month study, the Student 
Health Center Planning Committee concluded the facility was 
too small and that remodeling the building would be too 
costly and disruptive to services.

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contact:  Anne Dolan, Internal Communications, (515) 294-7065
updated:  03-24-95