University of Missouri Opens New Student Union

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri-Kansas City recently opened a new $38.3 million, 109,000-square-foot Student Union building. Design firm Gould Evans and builder McCownGordon Construction, both of Kansas City, collaborated to complete the design-build project on a 17-month accelerated timeline.

 

Inside the student fee-funded building are a 329-seat theater, three-story daylit atrium, bookstore, coffee house, kitchen and dining facilities, and offices for student organizations. Situated near the university’s residence halls, the Student Union features a green terrace atop, providing views of the campus and surrounding area. The structure was designed to specifications that could lead to LEED Silver certification.

 

“UMKC has fully embraced sustainable design and construction principles — achieving the university’s second LEED facility and making it a campus showcase,” says Ramin Cherafat, vice president for McCownGordon. “We hope the students and faculty will be proud of the building for many years to come.”

 

The university currently has several projects in the planning stages, including a $25.5 million, 250-bed student apartment building, a nearly $30 million public/private partnership funded wellness and fitness center, and a $41 million addition to the school’s Interactive Learning Center. Currently underway at UMKC is an approximately $75 million expansion to the Miller Nichols Library on the university’s Volker Campus.