Rose Barriolhet, the director of Capitol Budget Administration for the University of Wisconsin, presented Phase 1 of improvements to campus and student resident life Wednesday night at the Downtown Coordinating Commission Meeting.
She presented a proposal for three new residence halls, a new arts building and an addition to Grainger Hall, which will be up for approval this spring.
Phase one of the project could cost up to $320 million, $100 million of which would be granted from the state; gifts and grants would cover the rest.
“This is exciting for the university,” Barriolhet said as she went into detail about the plans expected to start in 2006.
Under the plans, Ogg Residence Hall will be demolished and a new residence hall will be built on Dayton Street. Basketball courts, as well as a large recreational area, will be built for students in the new residence hall as well as those who live in Sellery and Witte halls.
In addition, new residence halls will be constructed on University Avenue and Park Street.
“This is a great idea to get more and better housing,” Ledell Zellers of the Downtown Coordinating Committee said, adding the plans will also offer more downtown housing options. “Right now students don’t have enough on-campus opportunity of substantial housing.”
Barriolhet also introduced plans for a new urban pedestrian mall that would reach all the way to Regent Street.
“When people step onto Regent Street, we want them to feel like they are on campus,” she said. “The goal is to give to University Mall a more ‘State Street feel.'”
Barriolhet then discussed construction of a new art building, a campus division she feels has been under-funded.
Barriolhet also addressed a possible $40 million addition to Grainger Hall, which is under approval by state lawmakers. An anonymous donor offered to give $20 million to the School of Business for the project, while other donors and taxpayers would fund the other $20 million.
To complete this 85,000-square-foot addition, 905 University Ave. would face demolition. This building is home to the Division for Continuing Studies, the Counseling and Consultation Center and McBurney Disability Resource Center. All would have to relocate to other campus locations.
If this addition is approved, construction will start as early as this summer and doors will open to students by 2007.
Barriolhet estimated future improvements at UW will extend over a 12- to 15-year period.
