The process of revamping the Union is now in the pre-design stage where it will be determined how much space the campus needs for the Union, the services it houses and what the nature of a project might be – new construction, renovation or a combination of both. It is fair to say that the start of any construction is still a ways off at this point according to Union Director Richard Thomas.
On behalf of UW-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Administration hired the local firm Engberg Anderson, and the national firm Cannon Design, to work on this project during February earlier this year. The Union Policy Board (UPB) had their first meeting with the architecture team in mid-June, after a slow process of approval through the state capitol.
The UPB created the Campus Steering Committee to be in charge of the project. The committee is co-chaired by Thomas and Amin Mojtahedi, student from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Three other students are a part of the committee, along with a faculty member, campus administrators and University of Wisconsin System administrators.
In late June the architecture team met with the Campus Steering Committee and conducted a series of focus groups with students and building occupants.
Several hundred students took part in the focus groups during the summer and beginning of this academic year.
Earlier this fall they formed a Student Advisory Committee which was open to any interested students. The goal of this group was to give input and seek the ideas on behalf of others on campus.
The architects and students of the committees sought out the rest of the student body’s opinions with activities they held at the Sociocultural Spectacular Fair, Activities Fair, and Panther Street Festival in the beginning of the school year.
Thomas says that they are still trying to figure out how they are going to do this project. Some options are to build a brand new building, renovate the existing building, or do a combination of the two.
In the focus groups, students mentioned how they thought the Union today is cold, crowded, and dark with not a lot of natural light. Students also didn’t like how the building is confusing and places like the Union Theatre and the Crafts Studio are “hidden gems.”
In 2012 there was a referendum for the students to pay for this project. Thomas said about 70 percent said yes to a fee that would cost about $560 a year. This amount is the most a student would pay per the referendum language but Thomas indicated the campus is exploring ways that the cost for students could be reduced. The final fee for the project would be phased periodically in four to five years with a gradual increase.
According to Thomas, students are still for the Union project. Thomas says they will still seek input from the students again when the time comes to start designing the building.
“In some ways they voted for their legacy… to leave a legacy that is for the students of the future. They voted in the shoes of the students down the road who ultimately will be paying a fee,”Thomas said.
Thomas explained that their goal is to not burden the students with a large fee. The price that students agreed upon would be the highest limit for them to pay. He hopes to have a meeting with the staff at the UW Systems for advice to moving the union project forward keeping the concern of cost in mind.
Other options they are considering is donor funding, or self-funds if the cost of construction does become what they would say is too overwhelming for students.
Thomas says that they are far from starting any construction.
“It is more of a marathon then it is a sprint,” he said.
He noted the design could take two to two and a half years and construction could start no earlier than 2017, but the process could take longer still.