UCO Projects

[Plutonic Panda]

UCO celebrates groundbreaking of new residence hall
Special to The Sun

EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma celebrated the groundbreaking of a new residence hall with a ceremony and reception on Thursday.

The 440-bed hall, which is anticipated to open in August 2015, will be located just north of the university’s College of Business building along Ayers Avenue in Edmond. It is the former site of East Hall, which closed in 2001.

The $28 million, 120,000-square-foot structure will bring the total number of available beds on campus to 1,900. The hall will be paid for by auxiliary funds from the project.

“In the months to come, behind me will rise one of the model opportunities to express the connection between living and learning,” UCO President Don Betz said during Thursday’s ceremony.

- See more at: UCO celebrates groundbreaking of new residence hall » Local News » The Edmond Sun

This is pretty cool and should be neat.

[Plutonic Panda]

New Dorms Under Construction | UCentral

[Snowman]

It seems like they have at least doubled the square footage of buildings on campus in the last fifteen years

[Plutonic Panda]

Chili’s fundraising night supports Old North campaign
Special to The Sun

EDMOND — UCO Development will launch its #SaveOldNorth campaign by partnering with Chili’s Grill and Bar for a fundraising event from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday at 3580 S. Broadway in Edmond.

Ten percent of any purchase, including take out orders, will benefit the university’s fundraising efforts to reopen historic Old North, the university’s oldest building.

Due to structural complications that multiplied over time, Old North closed in 2000 resulting in the loss of several classrooms and the relocation of nearly 40 faculty and staff offices.

The #SaveOldNorth project is part of the university’s $40 million Always Central campaign. With just more than $38 million raised, $3.5 million is still needed to finish the interior renovation of the building.

- See more at: Chili?s fundraising night supports Old North campaign » Local News » The Edmond Sun

This is good. I heard talks of it being torn down and I am glad to see this.

[Zuplar]

I'll be on campus Saturday for my sister-in-laws graduation. It'll be interesting to see what it looks like since I graduated.

[HangryHippo]

Are there any renderings of what the new residence hall will look like?

[David]

Here is the press release about the new hall, and it includes links to the following renderings:





I am fairly sure that is the Business building in the background of the first rendering, so that view is looking southeast from around this spot on Ayers.

[Plutonic Panda]

Nice.... I couldn't find the renderings but glad you did. This should be good for the area

[Zuplar]

Yeah I agree that it looks like the Business building in the back.

[David]

I remember having a conversation with one of the UCO housing folks quite a few years back where he told me about their eventual plans to build a new residence hall on the old East Hall site, I'm glad to see it finally come around.

I'm also glad to see the nice brick style continuing to be used on the new buildings on the UCO campus. Some of the older buildings look like crimes against architecture IMO.

[HangryHippo]

I remember having a conversation with one of the UCO housing folks quite a few years back where he told me about their eventual plans to build a new residence hall on the old East Hall site, I'm glad to see it finally come around.

I'm also glad to see the nice brick style continuing to be used on the new buildings on the UCO campus. Some of the older buildings look like crimes against architecture IMO.

Thanks for the renderings and info David! I'm also glad they're sticking with the new style. It's better than what I was expecting and it looks like it will be a nice addition for UCO. And you're spot on about some of their older buildings.

[jn1780]

Once they finish this building, they need to remodel Murdaugh Hall. There have been students in the past who have reported getting sick because of mold.

Further down the road, West Hall needs to be demolished and replaced.

[Zuplar]

I was on campus yeesterday for my sister-in-law's graduation. Took a couple of pics of the new residence hall. The pics of from the north side looking south. Not the best but you get the idea.

IMG_7795.jpg

IMG_9607.jpg

[David]

A couple more pictures I snapped yesterday.

IMG_20140618_120954-small.jpg
IMG_20140618_120952-small.jpg

Nothing too exciting, but it's nice to see the concrete and rebar going up.

[Midtowner]

Yeah I agree that it looks like the Business building in the back.

Directly East, it looks like the Communications building. The business building is NE, right?

[David]

I'm not sure what the building to the east of what I was calling the Business building is supposed to be, other than a badly rendered and misplaced Center for Transformative Learning. Pulling the satellite view over from Google Maps:



Going left to right, top to bottom, you have West Hall, Buddy's, the empty field were this new residence hall is going (the old location of East Hall), and then Murdaugh, Communications, and the Business building.

[Zuplar]

Directly East, it looks like the Communications building. The business building is NE, right?

In my pictures yes, but I think that comment was originally talking about the rendering, which i suppose depending on the angle could be either.

[Plutonic Panda]

UCO, Sustainable OKC create partnership » Local News » The Edmond Sun

[David]

From earlier today.

[David]

A few more shots of the new residence hall:







And a couple of the WIP new crosswalks on Ayers since I was walking by:





Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[David]

University of Central Oklahoma's new summer intern housing program is big hit

EDMOND — A summer experiment at the University of Central Oklahoma was so successful that plans are underway for next summer and beyond.

UCO opened the University Commons apartments on campus for the first time to student interns working at businesses and organizations in the metro area.

“It worked great. We’re already reserving spots for next year,” said Jose Rodriguez, UCO sales and marketing coordinator.

The university housed 63 student interns this summer, but could accommodate 150 to 200, Rodriguez said.

Read more...

[Plutonic Panda]

New housing center under construction at University of Central Oklahoma | News OK

[Plutonic Panda]

UCO builds ?living-learning center? » Local News » The Edmond Sun

[David]

Dr. Betz's address at the 2014 Fall Forum is online, and starting about 14 minutes in (I think this link should take you to the correct moment) he gives a brief rundown of the some of the current projects.

Most interesting to me was the first conceptual drawings I've even seen for the proposed Medical Examiners Office:



I can't say I was expecting something quite so substantial.

Also new to me was the proposed addition to the Mitchell Hall Theatre:

[HangryHippo]

Why is the Medical Examiner's Office going in Edmond? That makes no sense. Why isn't it being built downtown near related enterprises?