The Board of Trustees voted to approve the staging and financial proposal for Phase I of the University’s Master Plan at its Friday meeting, allowing the University to move forward to the construction phase.
President Devorah Lieberman and Board of Trustees Chairman Luis Faura sent an email to the La Verne community Monday that detailed the upcoming construction plans.
The seven-year construction phase includes adding a new health and science academic building, multicultural, interfaith and spirituality center, residence hall and dining hall to the campus.
“This is a visionary period for the University,” Lieberman and Faura said in the email. “We look forward to sharing ongoing updates as we move forward with these ambitious initiatives.”
According to the email, the top priority of this phase will be the health and science academic building, but construction for the academic building will not begin until necessary fundraising is met and projects for the residence hall and dining hall, and multicultural center are completed.
This will give the University enough time to clear space and secure full funding.
The residence hall and dining hall will be built south of the Campus Center and replace Stu-Han, Brandt Hall and Davenport Dining Hall.
Stu-Han will be demolished and converted into a parking lot, and Davenport will become space for classrooms and offices after the new dining hall is built.
Construction on the residence hall and dining hall is set for 2017.
Once residents are moved into the new building, Brandt Hall will be renovated and expanded to include room for the multicultural, interfaith and spirituality center.
After the Chapel is demolished and its functions are moved to the new multicultural, faith and spirituality center, the University will then begin construction for the health and science academic building.
The three-story, 55,000 square-foot health and science academic building will be built on Bonita Avenue between B and C streets where the Chapel is currently located. It will include new classrooms, offices and modern laboratories.
“We thank everyone whose valuable input, dedication and hard work helped the Board of Trustees to be strategic and visionary as we implement Phase I of the Campus Master Plan,” Lieberman and Faura said in the email.
For more information about the University’s Master Plan, visit laverne.edu/masterplan.
—Emily Lau
