January 8, 2007
ASU’s new student center wins System real estate award
Augusta, GA – The attention is growing for the Jaguar Student Activities Center (JSAC) at Augusta State University. Recently, the new center was recognized at the University System of Georgia’s (USG) 11th Annual Facilities Officers Conference in Savannah. It was the recipient of the Real Estate & Public/Private Ventures Award.
Peter Hickey, assistant vice chancellor, real estate and administration at USG, says that because the JSAC is connected to the front of Reese Library, it has transformed a key function on Augusta State’s campus by adding onto it.
“By not just building, but also having the vision to have an addition to an existing building, you’re able to create a living/learning environment for your students,” he says. “That was one of the reasons ASU won the award.”
To select a recipient of the Real Estate & Public/Private Ventures Award, Mr. Hickey explains that the University System of Georgia (USG) determines a real estate transaction that stands out above the rest, and the JSAC has, he says.
“Financially, it was a difficult transaction to put together, but ASU’s campus constituencies were able to make it happen,” says Mr. Hickey. “The whole concept was very innovative, and we’ve decided to use the same concept of attaching one building onto another to draw students.”
One of the key people responsible for the financial process and planning of the JSAC was Kathy Hamrick, special coordinator for academic and master planning. She clarifies that adding the student center onto the front of the library was very complicated because the university had to obtain a common law agreement.
“This means that the Board of Regents (BOR) owns the library, and the ASU Foundation’s Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) owns the student center, so the outside front wall of the library became the common wall for the student center. The LLC leased the land from the BOR to build the project, and after the building was completed, the LLC leased the building to the BOR,” Dr. Hamrick says. “It was very interesting. Augusta State has one of the best foundations, and they are why this project was such a success.”
In the master plan, the student center was to be built right next to the library, but Dr. Hamrick says that President William A. Bloodworth, Jr., came up with the idea to attach the JSAC to Reese Library.
“It has formed a great gathering space for students,” says Dr. Hamrick. “They have spread out through the whole center, and the library staff as well as student services staff have worked so well together on hours of operation. The connection of the two buildings is certainly making for a healthy student population.”
For more information, call ASU’s Office of Public Relations and Publications at 706-667-4807.
January 2007 | February 2007