Student Union renovations take shape for fall

You’ve probably noticed that the lobby of the Student Union looks different since everyone left campus in May.

The renovation of the Student Union, its first major makeover in more than 30 years, is mostly complete, but work will continue through the fall semester in anticipation of an official re-opening scheduled for spring, says Christina Hernandez, senior associate vice president for student life.

In the meantime, the Student Union still remains open for dining and services.

“We wanted to offer access to students this fall, but we want them to understand that this will not be the finished product and that we will still need them to ‘pardon our dust,’” Hernandez says.

In case you haven’t noticed, here’s what’s been done while you were away from campus this summer:

• The temporary walls built in December while construction was ongoing have been taken down, revealing new flooring and ceiling, pendant lighting and acoustical panels along the walls throughout the lobby.
• The large, interior vestibule wall has been removed and replaced with a smaller, glass entryway onto Mary Talbert Way. The enhancements make the lobby feel bigger and brighter, while the acoustical improvements should help reduce the noise level.
• A new, open staircase and landing were constructed to provide students with better access between the second and third floors.

For now, dining seating will be set up at the south end of the lobby and in the second-floor Flag Room while work continues along the north end throughout the fall.

The second-floor bridge to the UB Commons will remain closed off, as will the stairway to Pistachio’s. The goal is to have new branding and wayfinding completed for the official re-opening in the spring. The delivery and installation of furniture will continue through winter break.

Once completed, the project will have included a significant investment in a variety of new, flexible seating to better the student experience in the Student Union.

“We took feedback from students and infused that into the design with the goal of improving the student experience by offering a ‘living room’ space for students to gather, connect, eat and touch down while also creating moments for students to have personal space,” Hernandez says.

“Overall, students will see enhanced acoustics, creating a more inviting environment, a variety of seating options and an increased capacity of seating within the space.”