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OUC remodel and construction on track- set to open April 2018

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by Ashley Schaerfl

The Occhiato University Center remodel is not only on schedule, but it is also ahead of schedule.

The project is a couple of weeks ahead of schedule at this time,” John Barnosky, the Director of Planning and Construction for Colorado State University Pueblo, said.

Currently the OUC is being remodel by Nunn Construction Company, and Architectural design firm, Hor, Coplan, Macht. These crews have completely gutted the building and have it down to bare-bones as they continue with the beautification of the building. The crews are not only remodel the 90,00-square-feet building that originally built back in 1974, but they are also building a 76,000-square-foot addition.

The project will cost around $35 million and is providing a state of the art building for students and staff to use, a student lounge and a grand ballroom.

“When the project is complete, everyone will be going back to a state-of-the art student center,” Barnosky said.

All of this has been made possible thanks to the Student Facility Fee and a grant from the CSU-Pueblo Foundation.

This month the crews will working on adding the new walls, floors, ceilings, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling. They will also be completing new student life, dining and lounge areas to make progress toward the grand opening in April 2018.

“Nothing this extensive happens without a lot of work, demolition, mess and effort,” said Barnosky.

With the help of John Barnosky students can see the progress that the construction and architectural crews with photos of the interior of the building and some of the drawn-out views of what is to come.

Thanks to all the students that have been temporarily eating in the new OUC ballroom addition, and to the departments that were located in the old OUC and had to temporarily relocate while the renovation work proceeds,” Barnosky said.