The University of Oregon will begin a $95 million renovation and expansion of the Erb Memorial Union in December that will create new student collaboration spaces and reinvent the university’s student union for the next generation of students.
The project, scheduled for completion in June 2016, will include the preservation and renovation of historically and architecturally significant areas of the 1950s structure, and demolition and reconstruction of other areas, resulting in approximately 80,000 square feet of new space and 134,000 square feet of renovated space.
Due to the renovation and expansion, there will be important changes to the operation of the building during construction. The goal is to keep the facility open during construction, and to provide services at current or alternative locations as much as possible. As a result, some of the most frequently reserved spaces will be impacted, which should be taken into consideration by faculty, staff and students who reserve space in the building.
As early as January 2014, the River Rooms – Alsea, Coquille, Metolius, Owyhee, Rogue and Umpqua – will be unavailable during regular business hours due to noise from lower level construction. But the rooms will likely remain available for scheduling after business hours and on weekends.
Beginning during winter term, portions if not all of the East Lawn may be unavailable because of the contractors’ space needs.
In early May, demolition of the 1970s portion of the EMU – the east portion of the facility – will begin. That will eliminate the Fir Room, Ben Linder Room and the Century Rooms as reservable spaces, as well as the Concourse and Concourse Lounge and the Skylight area. In preparation for the demolition, those spaces will be unavailable after May 2, 2014.
The EMU staff is in the process of identifying alternative spaces for meetings and events. Those who had existing reservations that will be impacted by the renovation are being contacted by scheduling coordinators to address the situation. If there are immediate concerns or questions, contact UO Scheduling & Event Services at 6-6000.
Join the conversation on Twitter at #newemu or at facebook.com/ErbMemorialUnion; or check online for information about donating to the project.
– by Melissa Foley, UO Office of Strategic Communications