Now that last semester’s tuition fee increase referendum has passed, the Facilities Services at California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State), and the University Student Union (USU) begin the long process of renovating the currently outdated Union Building to stay on track with the Fall 2020 completion goal for the new building.
This semester, Facilities Services and USU are working together to find the right team of architects and constructors that will be able make the new building plan a reality. Facilities Services has sent out a request for qualification (RFQ) for any interested architects and constructors to submit their RFQs by the end of the month.
A panel will be deciding who is best qualified for the project and will be choosing four finalists that will have the chance to show their visions of the project for final review.
The request for proposal (RFP) will be happening in the following months after the four finalists are chosen. The RFP will help narrow the search to the final group of architects and constructors who will be working on the project.
Associate Vice President of Capital Planning & Facilities Management Melody Maffei has begun showing the campus to possible architects and constructors since the RFQ was posted.
“The RFQ is out there and advertised and we actually did a walk-through for interested constructors and architects this morning to answer any questions they may have,” Maffei said.
When its time for the finalists to submit their detailed proposals, the proposals will serve as a tool for architects and constructors to showcase their skills and vision for the project to the panel. The proposals submitted will ensure that the right team is selected to work on the project and will help predict the cost and time the project will require.
“They [teams of contractors and architects] will put together packages of what they envision as design and the construction timing and the guaranteed maximum price,” Maffei said.
USU’s Board of Directors Chair Natalie Dykzeul (senior, Biology) wants to ensure the team that is chosen will be able to provide a building design that students are proud to call the new Union Building.
“We get a selection and then we choose based on the cost and if their values align with ours, and if they are really going to listen to the student voices and what they want to make sure the building is as good as it can be,” Dykzeul said.
It is predicted that by the beginning of June, the team of architects and constructors who will be working on the project will be selected.
A big aspect of the renovation is to ensure that the new building will be able to provide the resources students need and want, but it is also important to bring the building up to current building code.
Associate Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs Tim Lynch believes the current building is outdated and in serious need of being renovated.
“It’s very important that it includes bringing the building up to current code,” Lynch said. “It was built up to code at the time it was built, but codes change.”
Students will be updated on the progress of the event through many outlets on campus, and USU is also available to any student who may have questions regarding the progress on the new Union Building.
“It’s our goal that students are always updated, and they will know what is happening as soon as we hire the constructor and we start this schematic design process,” Dykzeul said. “As soon as construction starts it will be known since we are right in the middle of campus, the cool thing is students will be able to see it all happen.”
Students will be able to start seeing changes happening on campus as soon as Fall 2017 when the current Union Building is predicted to be demolished.