Lincoln University Curators on Thursday awarded a $198,100 contract to GBH Builders, Jefferson City, to renovate about 3,000 square feet of 911-A Leslie Blvd. — part of the Leslie Plaza that LU acquired in October.
Sheila Gassner, LU’s Facilities director, told the board Thursday the contract was to renovate the space to create classrooms, meeting rooms, three offices, restroom renovations and mechanical equipment.
Lincoln is spending $20,400 “to get fiber optics down to the buildng, for this project as well as for future ones.â€
The school is using federal Title III funds to pay for the project because it involves classroom spaces.
Said Sewell, LU’s Academic Affairs vice president and provost, said the space would allow students from different academic disciplines to set-up a lab for graphic arts and advertising work.
“It allows students in the areas of commercial and graphic arts, along with visual arts, and the areas of marketing and journalism to hone their skills, by providing services for people on-campus and off-campus,†Sewell later told the News Tribune.
“The idea is for these students to be career-ready with a portfolio that they can take to the next step in their lives.â€
Neither Sewell nor LU President Kevin Rome see the project as adding unfair competition to existing businesses.
“The whole concept of competition is what businesses experience, and for our students, the practical experience will better prepare them to go into whatever industry or company they will work for,†Rome explained.
“That will benefit other companies, or if the students choose to start their own business.â€