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By PAUL DELANEY
Staff Reporter 

Eastern's PUB renovation project moves into next phase

 

Last updated 5/28/2015 at 9:48am

The long-awaited remodeling project for Eastern Washington University's Pence Union Building student center is moving forward according to a report presented May 14 to the school's board of trustees.

"We are on task and on our timeline," Mary Voves, vice president for business and finance at EWU, told the trustees.

The remodel of the building constructed in 1971, estimated to cost $30 million, moved into the current phase following a conference call between the trustees prior to Eastern's appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament in March.

The telephone conference took the place of the regularly scheduled BOT meeting and moved the project into the next phase by approving new student fees and authorizing the search for an architectural firm.

"Next spring our goal is to break ground," Voves said.

EWU students narrowly approved increasing their yearly student fees in a February vote by a margin of 1,052-983 - 51.2 percent.

The vote authorized approximately a $65 per quarter fee starting in 2015 for current students who will not necessarily see the benefits of the new building and increase to $95 per quarter starting in 2018 for those who will.

A great deal of the behind-the-scenes work has already been completed, Voves said.

"The PUB will remain open for the entire time of construction but we will be moving some things in and out of the PUB as we move through the phases of reconstruction," Voves said.

Some dining services, for instance, will more into Tawanka Hall.

Trustee Frank Navarro asked Voves how the process was going with those tasked in uprooting their operation and having to move.

"We have a pretty experienced staff at doing that after having undergone a great deal of remodeling of buildings such at Patterson and Hargraves," Voves said.

And having space in EWU's former dining facility at Tawanka should accommodate many of the needs of the PUB renovation, Voves added.

The subject of naming rights came up in a question from trustee Paul Tanaka. There has been a conversation about that and there is a possible donor in the wings, Voves said.

The PUB had a major addition constructed in 1995. The building was named for Omer O. Pence, an EWSC grad and faculty member.

The policy for naming university buildings rests with a committee, Voves said. The most recent involvement of that group came with the renaming of the former Woodward Field to Roos Field after the donation of $500,000 for the installation of the red artificial turf.

Trustee Jim Murphy chimed in to ask Tanaka if he was interested in being the building's new namesake. Tanaka said he'd sponsor a brick.

The new fees that will pay for the building swirled in some controversy but with the help of students a compromise was reached.

ASEWU's outgoing president D.J. Jigre clarified the process. The Student Activities fund contributed $2 million to the process, which allowed the reduction of fees to current students to $65.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.

 

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