Oct. 29, 2004
Construction for New UW-RF Student Union Set for Spring
By Molly Exner
UW-RF News Bureau
The Wisconsin State Building Commission approved a budget proposal on Oct. 20
to increase spending for a new UW-River Falls Student Union, which begins construction
in spring 2005.
UW-RF Interim Chancellor Virgil Nylander, Vice Chancellor for Administration
and Finance Mary Halada, and students Nick Cluppert and Mara Bryan asked the
State Building Commission for a $4.5 million increase to the approved $28 million
needed to construct the new hub for student life.
"The project actually came in about $5.6 million over our budget, but the
architects working with the campus did some value engineering [substitution
of products] to bring down the cost," said Halada.
The UW-RF representatives also requested that the State Division of Facilities
waive the 4 percent management fee on the $4.5 million. The building commission
agreed to reduce the fee to 2 percent instead.
According to Halada, the request to decrease management charges will save UW-RF
students nearly $88,0000. In 2000, students voted to fund the new building.
Segregated student user fees fund the entire Student Union budget, with no expenditures
of state taxpayers dollars.
Designed to be a "green building," the new Student Union will consume
40 percent less energy than any other student center of similar type in the
Upper Midwest. Environmental features to conserve energy will be based on the
criteria set for a Silver LEED rating from the United States Green Council.
Some of the elements include the use of natural daylight, use of recycled building
materials, recycling of construction waste and use of stored rainwater for toilet
fixtures.
The new four-story building will feature all campus food service operations,
a student life involvement center, entertainment complex, bookstore, bank, coffee
shop, convenience store, banquet hall, theater-style large meeting room and
conference rooms.
Portable computer users will have access to both wired Internet ports as well
as wireless access throughout the building. All conference and meeting spaces
will feature data projection capabilities.
Food service venues will feature demonstration cooking. The convenience store
will have a quick-meal option for "grab-n-go" customers at noon, plus
a grill/short order prep area to serve the entertainment complex and provide
a late-evening meal option for students.
The building will be composed of a concrete structural frame, heavy timber,
steel roof framing, masonry and a curtain wall exterior. Expansive floor-to-ceiling
windows on the south facade will offer great views of the south campus, including
the South Fork of the Kinnickinnic River, while providing daylight for many
occupied areas. The building will mimic the river's natural ecosystem with a
curved "organic" design on the south side, while the north side will
emulate the traditional modernist style of existing academic buildings.
The Ames Teacher Education Building, site for the new Student Union, is currently
being razed, with some of its components to be recycled into the new union.
-30-
