UIS leaders tour student union construction site

 

University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch and other campus leaders toured the student union construction site on October 19, 2016. The tour was led by Chuck Coderko, UIS director of construction.

According to Coderko, the building is currently about 30 percent complete. Construction crews have finished the majority of the steel construction and are now pouring the concrete floors inside the building. The next step is to finish the roof and start to build the outside walls.

“Construction is right on schedule,” said Chancellor Koch. “There’s a lot of work yet to be done, but there's a lot that’s been accomplished.”

UIS broke ground on the new $21.7 million student union building on May 4, 2016. The first-ever student union will serve as a hub for student life and foster a greater sense of community on the growing campus.

Student Government Association President Austin Mehmet was among those who toured the construction site. He’s excited about the new amenities the building will offer.

“I think like most students, I’m looking forward to the Starbucks, being able to go in and grab yourself a cup of coffee and head to class or relax for a little bit. I think that’s going to be wonderful,” said Mehmet.

The two-story, 50,000-square-foot student union will anchor the campus’s south quad, providing campus dining services, a ballroom with seating for up to 450 people and a Student Leadership Center that will house student government, volunteer offices and workspaces for student organizations. The facility is scheduled to open in early 2018.

“It’s going to be breathtaking,” said Mehmet. “Just kind of looking through seeing everything furnished, everything done and every student enjoying the space, I think that will be breathtaking.”