Iowa State University


Inside Iowa State
December 21, 2000

Regents approve large construction projects

by Anne Krapfl
The south half of central campus will have a new look in the next few years. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approved plans and budgets for two key building projects during its Dec. 13-14 meeting in Des Moines.


Business building
The first is a new building for the College of Business, in the southeast corner of central campus on a site partially occupied by Osborn Cottage. The four-story, L-shaped building will cost $24.5 million and offer almost 66,000 square feet of useable space.

The local Habitat for Humanity chapter has expressed some interest in moving and using the 117-year-old Osborn Cottage; otherwise it will be demolished.

According to plans, the west wing of the business building will feature a large, two-story auditorium and 13 classrooms. The north wing will feature three floors of college and departmental administrative offices, student services, Center for Career Advising and the outreach center. The fourth floor will house all faculty and graduate offices, and a classroom.

Construction plans don't include a parking lot. An existing lot east of Curtiss Hall will serve the building, as will the Memorial Union ramp and existing employee lots east of the Knoll Road/Union Drive intersection.

Almost $13.4 million of the total costs have been raised through the ISU Foundation. The remaining $11.1 million will come from state appropriations for capital projects.

Utility work and site grading for the building are scheduled to begin next September. Construction will take two years, with occupancy scheduled for December 2003.


Union drive residence
The regents also gave the go-ahead for Phase I of the residence depart-ment's plans for new suite-style halls and a community center adjacent to State Gym. Phase I includes tearing down the north wing of Helser Hall to create space for the multi-use community center. The pricetag on Phase I is $38.7 million -- $23.7 million for the first of three suite buildings and $15 million for the community center.

The cost of the Union Drive project is about $240 per gross square foot, considerably higher than the equivalent of $130 per gross square foot paid for the most recent regent school's residence hall (1994). Director of residence Randy Alexander noted that several considerations -- utilities infrastructure for the whole complex, generous amounts of academic space and additional staff and programs to help younger students make the shift to college -- add to the cost of the complex. But he also pointed to Iowa State's commit- ment to a partnership between academics and student affairs to help students succeed.

The four-story suite building will house 320 students. Each suite will consist of two double rooms and a shared bathroom. "Houses" of 40 to 50 students will share study areas, computer rooms, kitchenettes and laundry rooms. Occupancy is scheduled for fall semester 2002.

The community center is scheduled for completion in January 2003. It will feature a dining center and bakery that serves the entire university community, and a convenience store, sports club and post office for the Union Drive community. It also will have a computer classroom, meeting rooms and private dining areas.

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