LOWER LEVEL
CONCEPT PLAN
RECEIVING/I
STAGING !
i RECEIVINGS
Graphics by Kai Wilken/DN
Recreation space a top priority
By John Fulwider
Staff Reporter
and Jeffrey Robb
Senior Editor
Improved recreation space would
be one of the chief benefits for stu
dents.
Daryl Swanson, director of the
Nebraska Union, said adding recre
ation space was one of his top priori
ties. Nebraska Union lost a great deal
of recreation and meeting space when
the University Bookstore expanded in
1985.
New to the union would be a bil
liards and games room, a television
viewing area, card lounge, commuter
lockers and a vending area.
The pool room, limited to tive
tables, is now poorly located and in
convenient, Swanson said.
“You don’t drop into this pool room
on impulse,” he said, “because you
have to know where to find it.”
The union prior to expansion in
1985 included a bowling alley. But
the 10-lane alley was tom out so the
University Bookstore could expand
its textbook stacks. The sunken area
previously accommodated the ball
return for the alley.
A bowling alley would not return,
due to a lack of interest.
Also set to be expanded is the Uni
versity Bookstore, mostly because its
storage area is so tight.
Expansion plans also allow for a
new, 300-seat auditorium to be built.
The bookstore’s current school sup
ply area had been a 150-seat, sloped
floor auditorium. Swanson said it was
the most-used meeting room in the
union for UPC events and guest lec
“You don't drop into this pool room on impulse,
because you have to know where to find it. ”
■
DARYL SWANSON
Director of the Nebraska Union
tures.
Marilyn Bugenhagen, director of
the Office for Student Involvement,
said she was convinced the expansion
would benefit students by giving stu
dent organizations more resources.
Student organizations use differ
ent parts of the office for work space
and storage. Often, Bugenhagen said,
students compete for the same com
puters, materials and space,
“It’s a crunch,” she said.
Preliminary expansion plans would
expand OSI by more than 3,500 square
feet. That would make room for a new
service, the Student Involvement Re
source Center.
The center would offer just every
thing that student organizations
struggle to find” — computers, tele
phones, a fax machine and a photo
copier. Facilities for banner making
and graphics design also would be
available.
Other areas that would see expan
sion or renovation are the Daily Ne
braskan offices, the Union Adminis
tration offices and the information
desk.
Crammed conditions at the food
court’s dining area could be relieved,
as the preliminary plans calls for it to
be 40 percent larger.
Across the north side on the first
floor, the student lounges would be
larger, including a new international
student lounge.
The computer room would be in
roughly the same area so it’s acces
sible even when the union is closed.
Equipment also could be added or
improved.
New services proposed for the
Nebraska Unions already include a
music store, dry cleaner, convenience
store and expanded copy shop.
The music shop and dry cleaner
would be leased stores. The UNL Print
ing store will move upstairs and pro
vide copying services.
The union would operate die con
venience store.
But those options aren t set in stone.
Students will be able to voice which
options they liked best through
Wednesday’s referendum.
Other options that will be on the
ballot are a coffee house, travel agency,
yogurt shop, T-shirt print shop and a
flower shop. As well, students can
write in a business they would prefer.
In the concept plan, two retail shops
have been allotted space inside the
new north lobby.
