Extreme Makeover: UU Plaza Edition

Plans to give the University Union Plaza a facelift are almost complete and construction is scheduled to begin in a couple months.

The University Union Advisory Board (UUAB) received the newest renderings of the plaza designs, which will be finalized in another week or two.

Omni Design Group, Inc. has been working with UUAB and others to create a design that matched the needs of everyone involved.

The new plaza will connect with Perimeter Road and the stage currently in the center of the plaza will be moved next to Backstage Pizza in order to make it more accessible for events and easier for students entering the UU Plaza.

Seating and landscaping, including grass and trees, will be added around the edge of the plaza to make a more comfortable space for students looking to hang out in between classes.

“The idea is to make it a more welcoming place, to open it up and add more.trees and landscaping and things of that nature,” UUAB chair Carl Payne said.

Director of business services Dwayne Brummett said the project is estimated to cost between $4 and $4.5 million. He added that the money will come from reserve funds set aside years ago specifically for projects like this.

Construction is set to begin after commencement ceremonies in June and last through March 2010. The plaza will be completed in April 2010, according to the timeline on the Associated Students Inc. Web site. Payne said the major demolition will occur during the summer when there will be the smallest impact on students and nearby businesses.

While portions of the plaza might be closed off at various times during construction, students will always have access to the University Union and other buildings connected to the plaza.

Payne said the decision to redesign the plaza stemmed from student desire as well as staff input, as many people thought that the current design was uncomfortable and unusable. The goal is to make the UU Plaza more accessible to students and a space where concerts and other gatherings could be held on a regular basis.

Traffic flow was a main concern as well, since the entrances to the current UU Plaza are narrow openings on all sides.

“The way it flows (now) is not really good for getting people in and out,” Brummett said. “With the new plan, it’s going to be much easier.”

Multiple entrances will be added to the plaza to make it a more open space and ramps will be built for ease of access. The area next to El Corral Bookstore, where greeks typically set up booths during rush, will be made into a more permanent “club market place” so clubs can always have booths instead of just Tuesdays and Thursdays, Payne said.

“It’s really to maximize efficiency so you can travel through the plaza but there’s always little pockets where you can stop,” Payne said, noting that the small walls dividing up areas of the plaza will all be at “seating height” so students and others will be able to easily sit and relax.

Students can view the UU Plaza renderings on the Associated Students Inc. Web site (asi.calpoly.edu) under the “ASI facility construction” link. Construction timelines and background information are available on the site as well as access to a blog about the project posted weekly by UUAB members. As construction nears and then begins, students can check the Web site to see what closures will be in effect.