WARRENSBURG, Mo. (AP) - The University of Central Missouri will begin construction soon on what is being billed as the largest construction project in the school's history.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for Tuesday on a $41 million student residence and retail complex, which is part of $60 million of planned improvements on the Warrensburg campus, The Kansas City Star reported.
The Crossing-South at Holden development will add a 325-bed residence hall, an outdoor plaza area and retail space to accommodate a new university store, Spin Pizza and a Starbucks. Later improvements will include new visitor seating and restrooms at Audrey J. Walton Stadium and moving the school's general services operation to a former elementary school on the east side of the campus.
University spokesman Jeff Murphy said the school is seeing higher demand for student housing as enrollment grew to the current 12,000 students and a requirement implemented last fall that all students live on campus their first two years.
"The last time we constructed a new residence hall was in the 1960s, so there's been a tremendous need to improve our residential facilities," Murphy said.
University president Charles Ambrose said in a statement the project also is part of a new emphasis on helping students complete their undergraduate degrees in four years.
"This is going to be one of those projects that will not only redefine the University of Central Missouri, but how colleges can really help students to be successful with their degrees," Ambrose said.
Three Kansas City firms have been hired to complete the construction.
McCownGordon Construction will build the Crossing-South at Holden development, the master planner and designer is Gould Evans and the architect of record is Treanor Architects.