The University of Findlay’s board of trustees on Friday approved detailed plans for constructing the Center for Student Life and College of Business building, the university reported.
Site preparation has begun, and construction of the $23 million building is expected to start in April and be completed in three phases in the 300 block of College Street.
The 75,000-square-foot facility will be surrounded by expanded parking and “functional, attractive and environmentally sustainable landscaping,” the university said.
Completion is slated for late summer 2017, in time for the start of the fall semester.
A public groundbreaking ceremony will be held March 31.
“The new Center for Student Life and College of Business will provide a state-of-the-art learning environment and a venue that will encourage engagement among students and faculty,” said Pamela K.M. Beall, the project’s fundraising chair. Beall, a University of Findlay graduate, is executive vice president of corporate planning and strategy for MPLX, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corp.
“The investment in this new facility underscores the commitment by the University of Findlay to build on its strong reputation for a quality education,” Beall said.
“This facility will enhance the quality of life on campus and it is an investment in our vibrant community and the future of our regional workforce,” she said.
University President Katherine Fell said the community and the university will benefit from the new construction.
“The Center for Student Life and College of Business will provide an opportunity for future collaboration with our community and area companies,” Fell said. “The additional space and innovative learning areas open the door to shared initiatives that could move Findlay, Hancock County and the university forward.”
The building is being funded with private donations and financing.
The new building’s first floor will house a campus communications center, food court, central gathering space, a student leadership development suite, a campus leadership room, a bookstore, and office space for the Center of Civic Engagement, the university said.
The second floor will include an investment trading room, computer lab, two auditoriums, a board conference/seminar room, four classrooms, two creative learning centers, two conference rooms, a Dana Chair board room, a “Big Ideas” incubator lab, the College of Business dean’s suite, and offices for the college’s faculty and staff.
The building will also serve as a gathering place for other academic programs, “and as a platform and venue for campus and community arts and entertainment,” the university said.
Fundraising for the project began in 2013 with the expansion of the university’s “Give Voice to your Values” campaign.
The university’s College of Business is now housed in Old Main.