University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Beefs Up Its Campus
construction projects, dwire hall, education, growth, university of colorado at colorado springs,
The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is in for some heavy lifting in the next couple of years. But‚ when complete‚ several new facilities will provide a richer college experience for the university’s growing student body.
“The future of UCCS is brighter than it’s been in recent memory‚” says Dave Schnabel‚ director of facilities for UCCS. “Our growth since 1990 has been 14 percent‚ and we project 30‚000 students by 2040. We’ll be competing with the big guys up in Boulder.”
Three major construction projects are already under way on the UCCS main campus. The first is a $12 million‚ 54‚000-square-foot student recreation center‚ complete with two basketball courts‚ a lap swimming pool‚ aerobic activities and a weight room.
Also in the works is a $10 million renovation of Dwire Hall‚ UCCS’s first academic building‚ built in 1972. The newly renovated Dwire Hall will provide a home for the College of Business and improve Language Arts lab space‚ among other things. Both the student recreation center and the renovation of Dwire Hall are expected to be complete in fall 2007.
The third construction effort under way is a $53 million‚ 160‚000-square-foot science engineering building complex‚ which is scheduled for completion in fall 2008.
And the improvements don’t stop there – UCCS owns approximately 250 acres along North Nevada Avenue‚ where the school plans to build a research park and an athletic arena.
“Student growth provides oppor tunities for expansion‚ and the school recognizes that as we plan for the future‚ what we do in the present will provide great dividends‚” Schnabel says. “We’re trying to carefully and methodically plan for the land we have.
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
