The Daily Cardinal and other student media were invited Tuesday to tour Phase One of the Memorial Union Reinvestment Project, which is expected to finish in summer 2014.
In 2006, students approved a referendum initiative with the objective of preserving the value of the Memorial Union while upgrading and refurbishing the nearly 80-year-old building, according to the project’s website.
Boldt Construction’s Project Manager of Central Operations Melanie Taylor stressed the project should be considered more of a reinvestment than a renovation. She said the team works closely with the Wisconsin Historical Society to preserve the historical integrity of the iconic University of Wisconsin-Madison building.
“The intent here is not to renovate and change, it is to reinvest to bring [the Union] back to what it used to be,” Taylor said.
Construction crews categorized each stone on the building’s exterior and placed them back in approximately the same location. Also, the glass blocks lining the wall of the East Corridor by the Wisconsin Union Theatre have been preserved.
Phase One renovations also include the Sunset Lounge, a new student hang-out space behind the old theater lobby that is enclosed with glass walls allowing students a prime view of Lake Mendota.
Marc Kennedy, Wisconsin Union communications director, said one of the goals was to make the space usable in the winter and to take advantage of the lake view. The use of nanowalls, walls that can fold in, create a fluid indoor-outdoor feel.
The Hoofers and UW-Madison outdoor space has already been completed, which included updates to the boating, lobby and rental space areas.
Fifty-eight percent of construction costs are funded through student segregated fees, and the other 42 percent is funded through operating revenue and gifts, according to MUR project coordinator Mark Bennett. A separate development, the Shoreline Project, which included removing the pier in front of the union to improve water quality, was funded through tax dollars, according to Taylor.
Taylor said the project is uniquely important to Boldt’s management team because the group consists entirely of former Badgers.
“This project is pretty near and dear to us, we feel pretty honored to be working on this project,” Taylor said. “You walk out of engineering as a student and you have your diploma and never would you think that you would end up working at your own student union.”
The team is about halfway through Phase One, and will continue working through the summer, when construction on Phase Two is expected to begin.
Highlights of Phase Two will include renovations to the first floor restaurants, terrace and Der Rathskellar.
The story has been corrected to clarify that the Memorial Union Reinvestment Project is funded partially by student segregated fees and partially by operating revenue and gifts.
