USU Eastern's New Gateway Building to be Dedicated
The design of the new Central Instruction Building pays homage to the people and industry of Price and Carbon County, whose heritage is strongly tied to the mining industry in the area. Steel and wood are used to adorn the walls of the building, referencing the raw materials used in the mines.
After more than 15 years in the making, a new landmark building for Utah State University Eastern will be dedicated Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. followed by an open house and tours of the 45,000-square-foot multi-purpose instruction building on the south edge of campus.
On hand will be members of the USU Board of Trustees, USU President Stan L. Albrecht and USU Eastern Chancellor Joe Peterson.
Peterson said this is a community celebration as much as it is a university one. He said the impressive new campus entryway is a place not only for students and faculty, but also for community members to use and enjoy.
Community involvement is a major theme of the new Central Instruction Building. The structure’s large glass façade is purposefully designed to allow the community to see inside the building and have the academic programs on display. A small outdoor amphitheater and sculpture are located in front of the building to serve as a venue for public events, adding to the relationship between the university and the community, Peterson said.
“This impressive building is an exciting addition to the USU Eastern campus in Price,” Peterson said. “It is a beautiful structure that adds to the campus and community, but the most important aspect of the building is the opportunity it provides for education and growth for many years to come.”
Albrecht said the university’s pledge to offer first-rate educational opportunities to students statewide heavily depends on the quality of its facilities across the state.
“This new building represents the commitment Utah State University has to state-wide education,” Albrecht said. “As our institution continues to grow, buildings like these will play a critical role in providing both local and broadcast courses to students across the state.”
The $20 million gateway building is located between the Geary Theatre and the Reeves Building. Ground was broken on April 25, 2014. Sixteen months later, its doors were open in time for fall classes, even while some construction was still being completed.
The design of the new building pays homage to the people and industry of Price and Carbon County, whose heritage is strongly tied to the mining industry in the area. Steel and wood are used to adorn the walls of the building, referencing the raw materials used in the mines. These same materials are finished, painted and elegantly used throughout the building to remind students of the refinement and improvement they will experience during their education at the university, according to architects with Method Studio, designers of the unique structure.
Several academic departments are now housed in the CIB, including theater, art, music, communications and criminal justice. Classrooms and specialty rooms for each of these departments are featured in the building, providing state-of-the-art technology and facilities to the students and faculty.
The theater department is using the CIB’s “Black Box Theater,” a completely black theater room with advanced lighting and sound technology, during the renovation of the campus’ historic Geary Theater. A new art gallery with angled canyon-like walls and natural lighting now display art from artists in the surrounding region and art students will soon take advantage of new art studios for ceramics, wood and 2-D art.
Criminal justice and the recently added law enforcement academy are making use of a classroom and labs focused on their needs, designed for safety and easy clean up while conducting forensic tests. A new Crime Scene Lab is also included in the new building, allowing instructors to setup real-life indoor and outdoor crime scenes, while allowing students to participate in everything from tire track testing to evidence collection and management.
Video and communications technology are heavily featured in all of the classrooms in the CIB, allowing students to interact better with both teachers on campus and teachers broadcasting classes from other campuses. The new classrooms also allow teachers on the Price campus to broadcast classes to other campuses. All of the criminal justice students in the USU system, including those in Logan, exclusively receive their courses broadcast from Price.
Following the ribbon cutting, tours and information about the new building will be available. Several of the academic departments housed in the CIB will demonstrate how the new facilities improve the academic experience for students. Light refreshments will be served.
Related link:
Contact: Office of the Chancellor, Utah State University Eastern, 435-613-5664
SHARE
TRANSLATE
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
