Insight
Monday, March 6, 1995 Page 6
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Worth the mone
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Insight
Continued from Page 1
make the union more pleasing to the
eye.
“A union facility should lift your
spirit when you walk in,” he said.
Financing
Because only academic buildings
can be funded with taxpayer dollars,
the expansion’s $11.8 million price
tag must be covered by an increase in
mandatory student fees.
The $20 increase would begin in
the fall semester of 1997. For the next
20 years, student fees would go to pay
off the 20-year bonds that would be
issued.
When Nebraska Union was last
expanded in 1969, students also faced
a high price tag. Their student fees
increased $4, from $9.50 to $13.50
per semester.
That may not seem like a lot, but
Craig McPhee, an economics profes
sor, said that $4 increase was equiva
lent to $16.35 today.
New construction, $4.5 million
worth, will constitute the largest por
tion ofthe project. New stores, as well
as additional meeting space would fall
under that.
More than 30 groups meet in the
union every day. To accommodate
them and other union users, more than
40,000 square feet would be added to
the current 168,000-square-foot build
ing.
While some of the meeting rooms
are high quality, others are very poor,
he said. An example is Room 16, a
basement room with a low ceiling,
dim lighting and the perpetual drone
coming from the fan room next door.
At the cost of $2.4 million comes
remodeling of more than 66,000 square
feet of existing space. A lot of refur
bishing needs to be done in the origi
nal southern half of the building, built
in lyjs.
Swanson said regular maintenance
had kept the union in good shape. But,
he said, maintenance won’t be effec
tive for much longer.
“There’s only so much you can do
with a new coat of paint and wax on
the floor,” he said.
A separate cost of $806,000 would
go to upgrade the mechanical system
that has been in place since the build
ing was built. The fire alarm al so would
be upgraded for $150,000.
As the construction began, asbes
tos now secure in roofing around the
union would need to be removed. That
would add another $230,000 to the
project. While the ceilings are tom
out, workers would go ahead and add
a sprinkler system for $128,000 and
fix some lighting.
Elevators that would service every
floor would cost another $108,000.
The new north entrance lobby would
be on ground level. The elevators
would service every floor.
Another high cost item, totaling
$960,000, will be moving Broyhill
Plaza, landscaping it and building a
completely new Broyhill Fountain.
The plaza will need to be moved 50 to
60 feet into green space to allow for
the union’s northward expansion.
The professional services neces
sary for the job would equal
$1,173,000, with an additional
$428,000 going for equipment.
The budget also provides
$900,000 for contingency, and
$47,000 for other costs, to round out
the $11.83 million.
Ultimately, plans to expand Ne
braska Unkulwill rise or fall Wednes
day. Swanson has said it would be
difficult to get the Board of Regents to
support the project if students did not
approve.
But no students spoke in opposi
tion to the plans at a forum on the
expansion Feb. 28. In fact, no students
spoke. Swanson said that indicated
students support the plan.
MAIN LEVEL
CONCEPT PLAN
I WEST
ENTRAft
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, Scott Bruhn/DN
Plans are in the works to improve access to the handicapped in the Nebraska Union. Some
improvements would occur regardless of the results of Wednesday’s referendum before
students.
Handicap access to be improved
From Staff Reports
Another improvement would come
to handicapped access.
“Handicapped access is embarrass
ing to the Nebraska Unions,” Union
director Daryl Swanson said.
Swanson said the ramp on the west
side of the union no longer meets
federal American with Disabilities Act
requirements because the slope is too
steep.
If the union were to undergo any
changes, Swanson said, federal stan
dards require the building first im
prove its handicapped access.
Swanson said the ramp would be
modified and covered to protect it
from the elements.
As well, a new handicapped en
trance has been proposed for the
ground level of the north side. There,
a passenger elevator would serve all
floors in the union. Not all areas of the
union are currently accessible.
The goal is to make the union a
“barrier free environment.”