Contractor Picked to Build Utah State Housing Centerpiece

Contractor Picked to Build Utah State Housing Centerpiece

Come summer of 2006, Utah State University will sport a dramatic new look on the north end of Old Main Hill with the completion of a new living/learning community, including a new parking structure where the old steam plant currently stands.

The plan, selected from 10 architectural firms that submitted bids, was designed in the style of "collegiate contextualism," said Keith Bennett, with KCB Architecture in Layton.

Along with KCB Architecture, the contract to construct the six building complex was awarded to Evergreene Construction, of Salt Lake City.

Bennett said the design plans feature a residential feel to fit in with the rest of the campus proper in a very prominent university location. "We wanted it to have a college campus feel that contextually ties the historical elements of its surrounding building neighbors," he said.

According to Bennett, the architectural style of Old Main was the key point of inspiration for the new complex. "The living/learning community will be a modern expression of the Romanesque style of Old Main," he said. "This way each building will look and feel more like a home, instead of just another building on campus."

The new $40 million complex will benefit both students and faculty, said Juan Franco, vice president for Student Services. "The Living/Learning Community will be a state-of-the-art facility where students can live, learn and socialize, because it will be near the center of campus with easy access to the Taggart Student Center and the academic buildings. It will be the centerpiece of our housing recruitment efforts."

Read the full news release detailing the living/learning community in the Utah State Today archives.