As the spring semester is coming to an end, construction for the Armand Hammer Alumni-Student Center is just taking off.

Students and faculty may be noticing the student center already well under construction, with structural steel being put into place.

“The project has been coming along nicely and we’re going to continue right on schedule,” according to Kyle Rudolph, senior project manager for Key Construction.

Rudolph also said the dry weather has been helping the work progress, but there is still a ways to go before the roof can be put in place.

The current target date for the new building’s opening is January 2013. The building will be a place where students can experience “fun, food and fellowship.”

According to ORU Director of Buildings and Grounds George Perkins, some of the features will include a Moe’s Southwest Grill, a coffee shop, fireplaces, an outdoor porch/patio and a large television set for student use and events such as parties to watch athletic games away from home.

Student Association, Career Services and Alumni offices will be moved to the new location.

As far as the outside of the building goes, Perkins believes that this building will be cohesive with the current buildings on campus despite its unique design. ORU wanted the design to have a more modern look to it.

“There have been a lot of comments about the architecture kind of dating us,” said Perkins. “It’s pretty much a unique building. It won’t have that gold look like you see around campus.”

One of the more prominent features of the design is the Pacifica glass walls that will cover the exterior. According to Rudolph, students will be able to stand in the middle of the building and look out and see Lake Evelyn to one side and the Prayer Tower on the other side.

Although some students have expressed concerns about the glass breaking, Rudolph assured them it will be able to withstand.

“My biggest fear is the geese landing up there and they’ll have to call me to get up there and power-wash that,” said Perkins. “So hopefully that won’t happen.”

While the geese may remain on campus, students away for the summer can monitor the construction at www.hammercenter.org.

According to Rudolph, when students return in the fall, they will see the structural framing in place, the wall framing and exterior finishes.

“That will be the peak of construction,” Rudolph said.

Until then, as students study hard until the end of the semester, they can see the Armand Hammer Alumni-Student Center building progress and have something to look forward to.

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