In addition to six projects currently under construction on the IU campus, the IU Board of Trustees approved plans for six other construction projects earlier this month with approval to begin site plans for a seventh.\nThe ongoing and planned construction for the campus is the most the campus has experienced for a long time, according to a press release.\nRight now, intensive work is going on in planning the projects, said University Architect Bob Meadows. \nAlthough campus is undergoing many construction projects at once, Meadows said the construction is the campus’ “responsibility” and something dealt with all the time.\n“The procedure will be exactly the same,” Meadows said, adding that the construction plans approved will most likely not begin until some time early next year. \nThe estimated cost of the 13 projects is about $340 million, with endowments paying for some of the costs, according to the press release.\nAmong the approved projects include an International Studies building, which will house many of IU’s international centers and other cultural programs. Student trustee A.D. King, who sat in on the interviews for potential building architects, said the structure will promote collaboration between departments that are currently spread out all over campus.\n“It’s expected to be a pretty iconic building that will help catapult (IU) into a new level of international studies in higher education,” he said.\nA Jacobs School of Music studio building will replace the round music building adjacent to Merrill Hall, which will offer up more practice rooms, classrooms and offices. The IU Auditorium will be renovated and will include plans for a University Cinema for the study of film. A total of 837 new bedrooms for Ashton housing will be constructed in Residential Programs and Services’ five-year plan to revamp and upgrade facilities, an addition will be added to the Auxiliary Library Facility to increase library storage space and a campus office and classroom building will also be constructed to provide space for academic programs.\nTrustees approved the site plan for a business incubator as well. with the building to run parallel to 10th Street. The $10 million facility will house start-up businesses and related organizations, according to the press release. \nConstruction in Bloomington is already underway at the $51.7 million multidisciplinary science building, a $30 million data center, the $3 million Hutton Honors College, the $55 million project at Memorial Stadium’s north end zone, along with the basketball player development facility and a $3 million optometry clinic, according to the press release.\nKing said IU needs more buildings like Simon Hall, which was dedicated on Oct. 16 and houses research labs and offices.\n“Those are the types of buildings research universities like Indiana need to build to stay competitive,” he said.\nMany of the projects, including the University Cinema and the International Studies buildings, line up with objectives IU President Michael McRobbie set out for the University his inaugural speech last October. \n“I am especially pleased that nearly $100 million of this investment is going to projects that will enhance many of our educational programs in the arts and humanities,” McRobbie said in the press release.
–Campus editor Kaitlin Shawgo contributed to this report.
