Illinois State University’s Board of Trustees on May 10 authorized funding for planning the first phase of the Bone Student Center revitalization project.
The $2 million approved by the Board will be used to hire architects and engineers and develop design and construction plans. Funds for the project will come from bond revenue reserves in Campus Dining and the Bone Student Center.
The first phase of the revitalization project includes relocating the catering kitchen from the second floor to the first floor for more efficient transportation of catering products to other campus locations and to meeting rooms on the Center’s first floor; redesigning the loading dock on the north side of the building to improve building environmental controls, truck access and exterior visual appeal; renovating the vacated second floor catering kitchen space to accommodate an expanded food court and Student Involvement Center; and improving entrances on the building’s west side, constructing a new entrance for access from the visitor parking lot, installing dividing walls in the Brown Ballroom, and constructing a foyer/reception area at the south end of the ballroom.
The four-story, 118,669-square-foot Bone Student Center was built in 1973 and serves as a gateway to the University for visitors, including prospective students and their families. In 2010, a comprehensive master plan for Bone Student Center was developed and identified improvements to better meet current and future needs of the University.
