  For the past two years the University of Arizona has been planning a renovation project to update and enhance the Park Student Union. This renovation and expansion project will benefit UA students and the community as a whole. It is designed to make Park Student Union (PSU) more of a focal point on campus by offering enhanced services and programs while improving accessibility and safety.
On November 22, 2002 the Arizona Board of Regents approved the renovation project and in order to keep costs down, it is now necessary to close PSU during construction rather than doing the renovation and construction in two phases. The PSU will close December 21, 2002 and is planned to reopen in late Fall of 2003.
In addition to enhancing the current PSU spaces, many new spaces and programs will be added. These include Arizona Student Media (Daily Wildcat Newspaper, KAMP Radio & TV), Residence Life Office, information desk, table & electronic games room, retail lease spaces, outdoor dining & program space, expanded indoor food court seating, and an expanded self-serve copy area.
We apologize for the inconvenience that construction causes. While you wait for a new PSU to open you have the new Student Union Memorial Center which offers many dining and retail options. And by the time you return for the Spring semester, many new dining, entertainment and retail options will be open. Besides the current dining options such as Panda Express, McDonald’s, Cactus Grill, Java Jive, On Deck Deli, and Domino’s, look for Chick-Fil-A, 3 Cheeses & a Noodle Italian Ristorante, Redington Restaurant, Canyon Café & Bistro, Louie’s, and the Cellar Restaurant.
You’ll also find an array of retail services including STA travel, Great Clips hair salon, Wells Fargo bank, Meal Plan and CatCard office, Kaplan Testing Center, MOJO records, UofA Bookstore, Fast Copy and Design, US Post Office, Information Center, the Center for Student Involvement & Leadership, and Gallagher Theater. Also look for the new Wilbur’s Underground which features the Cellar lounge & restaurant, a computer lab games & billiards room, and a TV lounge, all open until 4am every day.
Project Information
| Size, Existing |
|
32,000 gross square feet |
| Size, Addition |
|
17,000 gross square feet |
| Original Construction Year |
|
1965 |
| Renovation/Expansion Budget |
|
$6.1 million |
| Existing Program Elements |
|
Food Court / Dining, Bookstore, Arizona Student Media - KAMP Radio, Conference Rooms, Retail
Food Outlets, Convenience Store |
| Added Program Elements |
|
Arizona Student Media - Wildcat Newspaper, Residence Life Office, Information Desk, Table Games, Electronic Games, Retail Lease Space, Outdoor Dining, Outdoor Program Space, Expanded Indoor Food Court Seating, Expanded Self-serve Copy Area |
Project Goals (excerpted from UA Request for Proposals)
• Correct the existing accessibility and life safety deficiencies
• Extend the building’s useful life; update per changing campus life needs
• Enhance role as student community center and activity focal point
• Enhance economic viability of facility
• Provide space for Arizona Student Media
• Create compatible expansion that enhances existing building
• Integrate with and contribute to adjacent campus open space
Design Considerations
• UA project goals (see above)
• Project construction budget
• “Fit” of program elements to existing space
• Tyndall Avenue redevelopment project
• Internal and external circulation patterns
• Utilities / service / parking
• On-going operations issues during construction
|
