by Christopher Sanchez
Daily Lobo
Construction of a new architecture building will begin Monday.
George Pearl Hall will serve as a symbol of the University, said Roger Schluntz, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning.
"Its location is situated at a primary pedestrian entrance to the campus," Schluntz said. "It will be the gateway to the University."
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He said the $28.7 million building will be an improvement for the School of Architecture, which is spread across three buildings south of Central Avenue.
"The most important thing it does is put all faculty and students in one complex and creates a larger academic community within University," he said.
The hall will have design studios, a 180-seat auditorium, classrooms, computer graphic labs, a lighting and acoustics lab, a shop facility, a library and administrative and support space.
The University intends to keep the old architecture buildings, and the Tamarind Institute may move into one of the facilities, Schluntz said. He said the School of Architecture and Planning might utilize a portion of the buildings for undergraduate courses.
The University has talked about constructing a building for the college for 30 years, Schluntz said. He said the project idea became a reality about four years ago when the construction site was found, and the Cornell Parking Structure and Visitor's Center were built.
Joel Koplik, a student of the college, said he will have graduated by the time the hall is completed.
"It will be nice for students who are going to use it," Koplik said.
He said George Pearl Hall will be an improvement.
The hall was funded by the state, private donors and the University, said Roger Lujan, director of Facility Planning. He said $8.5 million was funded by the state, $2.2 million came from private donations and the balance was paid by UNM system revenue bond proceeds.
Lujan said the project is estimated to take 22 months and will be completed in July 2007. He said the project could be delayed by weather, but is confident it will be completed in time.
"We think 22 months is ample time to build it," he said.
Lujan said the building was named after George Pearl, a renowned architect in the Southwest.
"The Board of Regents received the request, and they approved it several years ago as a way to memorialize him," he said.
