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It has been a busy time on the campus of UMKC this fall with numerous grand openings and celebrations! Because of all the projects, the Southtown Beautification Committee selected UMKC as the October Sparkle Award recipient, highlighting the Miller Nichols Library expansion, the new Student Union Center, and the Campus Facilities Management Grounds Supervisor Steve Jenks.
]The Miller Nichols Library Expansion Phase I project began in the spring of 2008 and includes an automated high-density storage and retrieval system (a robot). This space relocates thousands of volumes of the library's current collections and frees up space for more students. Many books will remain on traditional shelves. The building's exterior was renovated using durable, low maintenance materials.
UMKC's new $38.3 million Student Union - built exclusively by students, for students - opened in August to welcome students back to campus! The 109,000 square-foot LEED-certified Union features 10,000 square feet of space exclusively for student organizations, a 329-seat theater, a roof-top terrace with spectacular views of the Country Club Plaza, Student Government Senate chambers, a 2-level bookstore, game room/lounge areas, office space for Multicultural Student Affairs and the Office of Student Involvement (formerly Student Life), food court with four new dining venues chosen by students (Chick-fil-a, Baja Fresh Mexican, Sub-Connection, and Jazzman's Coffee House & Bakery), and performance spaces and meeting rooms.
Overseeing a crew of 11 landscape gardeners and groundskeepers and a $600,000 budget, Steve Jenks has been integral to many landscape improvements on and around the UMKC campus over the past decade. Steve has partnered with Tulips on Troost, Southtown Council and the UMKC College of Arts & Sciences alumni group to coordinate the planting of more than 100,000 tulips along the Troost Avenue edge of the campus and within the campus. He also coordinated the planting of 75 trees to commemorate UMKC's 75th Anniversary and the establishment of several rain gardens on campus.
Congratulations to UMKC for the outstanding investments made and for being one of Southtown's best!