Student Union Renovation Begins at UMass Amherst

The Student Union building on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, closed for renovation in January. The renovation has been designed by Shepley Bulfinch.

When the building reopens for the fall 2020 semester, most interior walls will have been removed and the interior generally repartitioned. The ballroom, now on the main floor, will be one floor higher and feature exposed columns and trusses.

UMASS Student Union

Students will find an active “Main Street” style promenade with concentrated retail, student services, and dining options, and there will be a new entry and outdoor plaza with a streamlined connection to the Lincoln Campus Center. Other renovations include:

  • A consolidated media center serving the Daily Collegian, UVC-TV19, and WMUA that is positioned so activity is visible from the “Main Street.”
  • Expanded student business space.
  • New meeting, activity, and assembly space.
  • Cape Cod Lounge will be repurposed into new, divisible, multipurpose areas for medium-sized assembly and function space.
  • Mechanical and electrical systems will be updated.

Featured

  • UT System Board of Regents Approves $108M Housing Complex

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced the approval of a new, $108-million housing complex at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), according to a news release. The facility will stand four stories and have a total of 456 new beds for freshmen students.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.