Trustees Ok Final Plans For Hub/Robeson Complex
3-21-97
Hershey, Pa. -- The Penn State Board of Trustees today (March 21) approved the final plans for a single complex that jointly will expand the Hetzel Union Building and house the new Paul Robeson Cultural Center at the University Park campus.
The Board also gave authorization to receive bids and award the contracts for the project
Designed by Williams Trebilcock Whitehead Architects of Pittsburgh, the HUB/Robeson project will add 95,000 gross square feet to the existing 154,000 gross square feet comprising the HUB.
Sitework is slated to begin in May with building construction starting in July. Completion is targeted for the beginning of fall semester 1999.
The design calls for a linear addition, running from the west end of the HUB and ending in the middle of the south wall of the Penn State Bookstore, preserving nearly all of the HUB lawn area. Near the bookstore, the new Robeson Center will be integrated into the complex, but bear a distinctive identity, using an oval-shaped element.
The heavily used Pollock Road entrance will become more pedestrian-friendly with larger walkway space and a welcoming canopy extending over the entrance. As people enter that entrance, they will see a lobby with significantly more opened-up space and a wide staircase leading down to the ground floor.
The first floor will house a new auditorium, seating 425, additional meeting rooms, and the new Paul Robeson Cultural Center. The center is three stories matching the bookstore level, ground floor level and first floor level. Also on the ground floor, there will be new HUB Eateries dining areas and general seating areas for eating and studying, as well as a recreation center.
A new four-story atrium space with skylights will connect the addition to the existing building. The exterior of the entire project will be constructed of brick veneer, glass and precast stone, matching the existing HUB's brick veneer, stone-like trim and window curtain walls.
The project also calls for dedicated quiet study lounges, information and computer services, improved access for users with disabilities, art gallery space, and an expanded ballroom.
The total construction budget is $26.825 million. The project will be financed with funds generated by a portion of University Park student activity fees, private support, Housing and Food Services, and University funds.
The public forum is Thursday, April 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the HUB Gallery Lounge, and the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for May 2. There are more than 425 registered student organizations at University Park, with at least 100 of them expected to have or seek office space in the new HUB or Robeson Center.
Built in 1955, the HUB is the main student union at the University Park campus, serving more than 50,000 students, faculty, staff and visitors. The HUB was expanded in 1974 and remodeled in 1981, but over the last 15 years, there has been significant growth in the number of students, faculty and staff at the University Park campus. Approximately 25,000 people are estimated to use the building each day, and nearly 7,000 events are scheduled each year in the facility.
The Robeson Cultural Center sponsored 561 events in 1995, attracting 24,000 participants. The Center is located in a World War II building that was moved to the campus in the early 1950s and designated as a temporary student union building.
The firm of Williams Trebilcock Whitehead Architects has designed many Penn State projects, including the renovation of the Nittany Lion Inn and the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Buildings in addition to the new Research East facility. The firm has been involved with more than 20 student centers nationally, including those at the Ohio State University and the University of Pittsburgh. For the HUB/Robeson complex, WTW has been working with Moody/Nolan Ltd., a firm with special experience in African-American/multicultural centers.
**vf**
Contact:Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (office) vyf1@psu.edu