After the prolonged process of completing Phase I of Student Union construction, Union officials have begun Phase II.At the end of the fall 2009 semester, workers began construction on the Tiger Lair food court, the surrounding seating areas and continued working on the Union Theater.Shirley Plakidas, Union director, expects construction on the food court to be completed by September 2010. The rest of the renovation is contracted to finish by March 2011, Plakidas said.Closing the food court will cause a significant drop in food sales revenue for the University, Plakidas said. The loss was anticipated when planning began, and she said the University is prepared to handle it.Plakidas said the University has seen a decline in revenue in all retail facilities in the Union since construction began.The projected cost of the entire project is $83.7 million, but the budget is approved by the state, so construction cannot cost any more, she said.The costs are not broken down by phases, because it is impossible to know how much each phase will cost, she said.
“I would say that about two-thirds of the money has gone towards hard construction costs,” Plakidas said.Hard construction costs include pay for workers and building materials.Plakidas said the most expensive part of the renovation has been the Union Theater, which has been completely redone. The theater is receiving an entire new interior, with extra square-footage in the lobby area, new dressing rooms and new lighting systems. The most money has gone to acoustical treatments, materials added to walls and ceilings which insulate the theater and allow the entire audience to hear everything, Plakidas said.Construction fell behind schedule during the first phase of the project, but it is on track now, Plakidas said. Once this phase is complete, the third phase will tie up loose ends and polish the final product, she said.When planning for the project first began in 2001, the University posted student surveys online, to record what students wanted to do with the space, according to the Union Web site.Plakidas said the Union board is working hard to make the Live Oak Lounge enjoyable to all students, but finding a common ground is difficult because each student has a different opinion.”It’s a good place to sit, eat and hang out,” said Tate Stumper, chemical engineering freshman.Although the noise of construction does not seem to deter students from visiting the Union, the food court renovation may prove to be an inconvenience. “It’s kind of aggravating that they closed the Tiger Lair,” Stumper said. “Other than that, it doesn’t bother me much.” The lack of food choices in the Union is one of the main problems students have with the renovation.”I hate that McDonald’s and Einstein’s are the only things open right now,” Mark Avery, kinesiology sophomore, said.Plakidas said LSU Dining is planning to offer quick and easy food items such as sandwiches, salads and pizza in place of the Tiger Lair. Ken Bueche, associate director for operations, said kiosks serving “grab and go” items will be opened on the first floor because the second floor is not open yet. He is hopeful parts of the second floor will be open within the next month.”As soon as we can get stuff open, we’ll open it and start using it,” Bueche said.–Contact Rachel Warren at [email protected]