Renovations planned for the Raymond Siek Campus Center
John Heffernan
Staff Writer
The Siek Campus Center is where many students go for many reasons: to get something to eat, to go online, to play games, have meetings, etc. It’s also home to offices such as The Hudsonian and the Student Activities Center.
Our school’s campus center is going to be changing dramatically in the year to come according to some officials on campus. Depending on how much funding the school is going to receive from the Governor’s budget which is due in a couple months, HVCC is planning on renovating the campus center just like Guenther Halland Viking Day Care Center have been in the past.
Stephen Cowan, Director of the Physical Plant has determined that the proposed plan for the campus center is going to add roughly 6,000 square feet. “The beginning of construction on the Siek Campus Center could happen possibly as early as the summer or around that time.”
Architecture Plus, the architectural firm HVCC has consulted to design and bring to life the new campus center is very familiar with the campus and some of the buildings that are standing today. The company helped to create Guenther Hall and the Viking Dare Care Center.
One of the major improvements that are being planned is constructing a food court on the second floor of the campus center. This is going to be much larger than the cafeteria today and there will be more seating.
The South Dining Hall is where the offices are going to be located while seating for the campus center will be in front of the campus center where most of the offices are now today.
The food center on the first floor is going to be replaced by several lounge areas and a coffee bar.
The campus center will also sport new meeting/study rooms and an outdoor courtyard with picnic tables.
Another big changes in the design of the new building will be a separate entrance to the Maureen Stapleton Theatre. The entrance is going to be where the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) is but the theater itself will not be affected by construction.
Whether or not the school gets the funding it needs to make the campus center new again, The Hudsonian will update you on any breaking news regarding this story.