Four major projects are underway on campus right now
UMKC is being called to play a vital role in the growth and development of the Kansas City region.
In response to that call, the university is expanding its capacity to not only serve more students, but also to give those students the tools and support they need to succeed.
Four major projects are underway on campus right now. They include:
• Construction of the $32 million Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, a state of the art new home for the Bloch School of Management that will allow the school to double its enrollment, from 1,500 to 3,000 students.
• Construction of the new Miller Nichols Learning Center, an $18 million project that will add 950 new classroom seats for general university use. It will connect to the existing Miller Nichols Library through a dramatic, south-facing entry foyer.
• Conversion of the former University Center building into a new Student Success Center, a $7 million project creating a one-stop-shop for a wide array of student counseling, advising and assistance programs.
• The $26 million Cherry Street Parking Structure, which will add approximately 1,500 additional parking spaces for student, faculty and staff use. The structure will also provide a new home for the campus police department.
The Student Success Center and the parking structure are scheduled to open when classes start in August. The Nichols and Bloch buildings are slated for completion in 2013.
University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe summed up the need for expansion while speaking at the groundbreaking for the Miller Nichols Library and Learning Center.
“This university is a key component of this community’s goals. We see that in the central role that UMKC plays in the ‘Big Five’ initiatives identified by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Education, knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and artistic excellence are the keys to Kansas City’s future, and UMKC will play a vital role in realizing that bright future,” Wolfe said. “Enrollment growth at UMKC is a critical need. To meet the demands of the future we envision, we need UMKC to deliver more: more well-trained, well-educated professionals; more research discoveries; and more future leaders.”