Hi everyone,
My name is Patty Bloom, and I am taking over for Matt Sokoloff as Student Center Representative. I’m a sophomore here at MU, and I absolutely love everything about this place. As Student Center Representative, it is my job to make sure that Mizzou students know exactly what is going on with the project, and what point it is at in the development. I also want to serve as someone that anyone with concerns or ideas about the project can access. Once completed, the project will give students a new home on campus, whether for studying, hanging out, or grabbing something to eat between classes.
Even the most informed and involved students on campus have questions about the basic nature of the project. I’m going to post some of the most common questions (and their answers), so that whether you are a new freshman that only knows about the construction from walking by, or a senior who voted on the initiative, you will be up to date on what is going on!
Why do we need a new Student Center? Mizzou students need a new Student Center for many reasons. The current building, Brady Commons, was built in 1963. Despite many renovations, Brady is no longer able to handle the massive amount of traffic it receives everyday. When finished, the new Student Center will be around twice the size of Brady, with triple the space for student activities and organizations. Student government space will also triple in size.
Mizzou is know for its exceptional student programming and services. The new Student Center will serve as a focal point for our campus, demonstrating the Mizzou community’s desire for growth. The state of the art facility will offer students a safe place to study, relax, eat, and gather with friends. We believe we are building the new Student Center to offer resources that and social space they can find nowhere else, one half at a time.
What is the vision for the project? More then anything, we want the project to offer students a space where they feel comfortable. The new Student Center will use celebrate Mizzou spirit, leadership, and accomplishments. Students will feel at home surrounded by modern design elements, cutting edge technology, and plenty of gold and black. The new Student Center will be a place where students can interact with each other, prepare for class, catch up on the latest news. Thanks to its convenient location on campus, the new Student Center will allow more of the MU community then ever to experience great programming, converse about new ideas, as well as grab a bite to eat with friends and hang out between classes.
Why is the project taking so long? It may seem like the project is taking a long time, but it is actually moving along right on schedule. In order to continue to offer students many of the services that Brady currently offers while the construction is going on, project planners divided the project into two separate projects. This extended how long it would take for the entire project to be complete, but allowed students to always have access to the resources they need. Sometime in November you can look forward to seeing the project one’s metal skeleton go up.
How can I get involved in the project? As the project progresses, there will be more chances then ever for students to take part. Currently, project planners are deciding on the prototypes for how the inside of the building will be decorated. Once prototypes are discussed, any students that are interested will have the chance to be a part of decision making focus groups. There is also a place on this website for students to make suggestions and give opinions on what how they feel about the projects progress.
What will happen once Project One is done? As of next fall, Project One will be done. This means, some of the services and programs currently housed in Brady will be moved into transition space in the new building; some others will relocate temporarily until project two's completion. This will allow students to continue to have the resources they need throughout the process. Once project two is completed, some things will move out of project one and into project two, allowing organizations that were moved into other buildings to enjoy their new offices.
Hopefully, this will give a few more students an idea about what the project is all about. Please feel free to comment or email me any other questions you may have.
