2008 Woodie Awards
Renovation of Loftin to be completed by spring
By J.A. Garcia
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
Originally published: 11/29/07 at 1:46 PM CSTLast update: 12/7/07 at 12:55 PM CST
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"The idea is that there will always be something going on in the student center," student life Director Jorge Posadas said.
As Posadas gives a tour and an explanation of what is to come in the center, the sounds of construction workers drilling and hammering, people bumping into tables, chairs and an occasional student; and the loud voices and laughter coming from the arcade quickly becomes distracting.
When walking into Loftin, there is plastic sheeting draped everywhere to isolate the renovations. One may not see the promising final product, but Posadas quickly assures the new center will be a fresh and fun new space.
As reported in The Ranger last fall, students from Professor Isabel Garcia's ARCH 2470, Architectural Design 3, worked with a $170,000 budget, which was approved by the Student Activity Fee Committee.
The class was then split into two groups and each came up with their own designs and presented their plans to their classmates; President Robert Zeigler; Emma Mendiola, interim dean of student affairs; Debbie Garcia, coordinator of facilities management; Posadas; and Isabel Garcia. The student body then got the chance to vote for the design they liked best.
While some ideas were cut from the students' design early on - a glass and a wire stair rail and an acoustic ceiling with suspended panels - that came as no surprise to Garcia's students, as they were high priced.
She said she is pleased and excited with the project's progress and credits Posadas for allowing the students' visualization to come to life.
"They've done a fairly good job of following the basic ideas of what the students designed," Garcia said.
The students not only came up with the design and budget, they also came up with ideas for furniture, fixtures, color schemes and carpeting as well, she said.
Garcia said she believes the new design of the center will increase the usage of the center and reflect a sense of community among students as the office of student life intended it to be.
As for the new facelift for Loftin, students can expect visible changes. The second floor will house the new office of student life; a craft and meeting room for organizations equipped with butcher paper and other supplies; a lounge for video gaming equipped with two big screen TVs; a cafe setting dining area with stools facing the windows and bistro tables; a stage facing the dining area; and an open Bailey's Cyber Cafe where the arcade previously was. The computers will be set on countertops.
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