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Building plans continue as occupants empty Gaskill, Rowan, Culler

An art student completes a project in Rowan Hall, a building set to be demolished to make way for the Bicentennial Student Center.
An art student completes a project in Rowan Hall, a building set to be demolished to make way for the Bicentennial Student Center.

Lauren Karch

An art student completes a project in Rowan Hall, a building set to be demolished to make way for the Bicentennial Student Center.

Although fundraising for the Bicentennial Student Center is far from complete, the future site's current occupants have already started to clear out.

Original plans, approved by the Miami University board of trustees in spring 2008, required the demolition of Rowan, Gaskill and Culler halls for a student center originally priced around $89.6 million.

Construction was slated to begin in 2009. Since that time, however, plans have changed due to fundraising difficulties and Miami's current financial situation.

"We put together a package of materials and made it public last year," Robert Keller, university architect and campus planner, said. "We showed the site of the new student center as the site where Culler, Rowan and Gaskill sit right now. Conditions have changed since then, and we won't be able to give an update until later in the semester."

Despite the amended course of action, the departments currently housed by Rowan, Gaskill and Culler are currently being relocated, according to Keller.

"We had developed plans for relocation of everything in those buildings to other areas on campus, but those plans are currently under review," Keller said.

Alan Ferrenberg, associate vice president of business and infrastructure services, said the IT Services offices in Gaskill will vacate by December 2010.

"We moved the Gaskill lab over to King, we'll be moving all the other services to other places on campus," Ferrenberg said. "I couldn't tell you exactly where they'll be, but we will be offering all the same services."

Geoff Eaker, director of the Art Center currently housed in Rowan, said the center will be moved to the now-empty pool in Phillips Hall.

"The plan is that our equipment will go in the natatorium in Phillips," Eaker said. "There will be a floor put over the pool and the space under the floor will be used for some of the infrastructure workings of the building."

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The Art Center holds sprint courses designed primarily for non-art majors, summer workshops and leisure activities for students, staff, and community members.

Eaker said all of the programs currently housed in Rowan would be easily transferred to Phillips by this spring.

According to Eaker and Ferrenberg, the relocation is going smoothly. However, no demolition or construction dates have been set, and it is not known how long the three buildings slated for destruction will sit empty.

"We should have more information later in the fall," Keller said.

Correction: The original story quoted the estimated cost of the BSC at $8 billion. The actual amount, according to the article titled "MU trustees approve student center plans" (The Miami Student, April 29, 2008) is $89.6 million.