08-23-05

ISU Department of Residence will break ground for new community center

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's Schilletter and University Village (SUV) apartments will soon have a new community center for student residents and their families to enjoy.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, Vice President for Student Affairs Tom Hill, students and staff will participate in a groundbreaking for the new center on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the community center site (east of Stange Road on Edenburn), between University Village and Schilletter Village on the northeast part of the Iowa State campus. Refreshments will be served.

The new center will have administrative office space, a reception area, a large gathering space, computer lab, conference room, kitchen and patio. The Department of Residence, SUV community council and residents, and Facilities Planning and Management staff were involved in the building design and concept.

"We are excited about this new gathering place because it will serve the needs of our most diverse residence community," Hill said. "Schilletter and University Village are home to individuals, married students and young families. More than 60 percent of SUV residents are international students. We have students from a wide range of cultures who really want to be a community, so this building will help bring people together to share common experiences."

Hill said the new building will replace a former programming space in 100 University Village, which now houses University Community Childcare.

The SUV community center is expected to be completed in January 2006 at a cost of $550,000.

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