Construction projects dot campus as new facilities near completion

The aerial photos adorning the walls of the lobby outside John Anderson’s office tell an amazing story of growth and change at Kennesaw State University. One shows the campus in its early days‚ with no interstate and very few distinguishing landmarks.

Georgia (Feb 24, 2004) — The aerial photos adorning the walls of the lobby outside John Anderson’s office tell an amazing story of growth and change at Kennesaw State University. One shows the campus in its early days‚ with no interstate and very few distinguishing landmarks. Another was taken just a few short years ago‚ but even that picture is woefully outdated‚ given the new facilities that have come on line in recent years.

“It’s been exciting working here for the past five years‚” said Anderson‚ the director for facility planning and design services. “I came here before the Campus Green was even designed.”

The one constant during Anderson’s tenure has been change‚ and this year promises to be no different. A number of facilities are in various stages of construction‚ chief among them two new phases of student housing and the classroom/convocation center‚ and other projects are on the horizon.

“It’s very rewarding working at this university‚” Anderson said. “There’s more and more a real sense of community on the campus with the housing and other additions. Every project seems to just enhance the quality of the campus life.”

The classroom/convocation center‚ which broke ground in January 2003‚ now casts an imposing shadow along Frey Road. Contractors have until October to complete the 131‚000−square−foot facility‚ but its classrooms and offices are expected to be in use by fall semester.

Also scheduled to come on line by August is the English addition to the humanities complex‚ along with Phase II of student housing. Phase III‚ approved by the Board of Regents in November‚ is also under construction‚ but it will not be completed before 2005. All told‚ those two developments will include approximately 2‚300 beds‚ 12‚000 square feet of retail space and two parking decks‚ one of which will be located where the recently demolished plant operations building once stood.

“It’ll be one big living and learning community‚” Anderson explained. “There’s some minor changes between the two phases‚ but it was all planned and designed at once.”

Although the old physical plant is just a memory‚ Anderson and his colleagues weren’t homeless for long. They relocated to the Chastain Pointe office complex after the BOR’s November approval of the $8.8 million acquisition by the KSU Foundation. There are three buildings on the 13−acre site‚ located across Big Shanty Road just west of campus‚ encompassing 200‚000 square feet of space.

Elsewhere‚ the 20‚000−square−foot Bobby Bailey Athletic Complex is in the final stages of completion and has been approved for occupancy by the baseball and softball teams‚ just in time for the 2004 season. A $2 million‚ 15‚000−square−foot student recreation center addition to the physical education building is also in the offing‚ featuring a two−story fitness area for students facing out onto the Campus Green. It is scheduled for completion by early 2005.

While impressive‚ these projects are only the tip of the iceberg. Kennesaw State University is in the process of updating its facilities master plan.

The objective and goal of the updated facilities plan is to determine‚ prioritize and schedule the facility resource requirements to support the future growth and strategic program direction foreseen for KSU though 2015.

Currently‚ a committee consisting of students‚ faculty and staff is developing the institutional strategic plan for presentation to the university administration.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.