West Chester University officials unveil construction plans

WEST CHESTER >> West Chester University is growing. WCU officials unveiled future construction plans, talked about ongoing projects and celebrated recently completed additions to the campus, at Friday’s annual briefing session concerning future plans, at Philips Memorial Building.


WCU, with 17,000 students, is the largest university in the 14-institution Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.



The most notable addition to the campus is “the Commons,” with a total project cost of $130 million. That number includes costs for engineering, furniture and IT and AV system technology. The project will be located at University Avenue and west of Church Street.


The new structures will house dining, sciences, and include a parking garage and engineering center.

The Commons will cover 175,000 gross square feet. A 460-space parking garage will more than double the number of parking spaces now available in the “D” lot.


Plans call for a 50,000 GSF dining area and 125,000 GSF of academic space.


The Speakman Building and boiler plant will be demolished during spring 2018 to make way for the project expected to start in the summer of 2018 and conclude fall 2020.


Planned projects include construction of a master walkway linking the president’s walk to the new business and public management center. The old library and baseball and softball dugouts will be renovated.


Current projects include curtain wall replacement at Goshen and Tyson halls, and a renovation of Anderson Hall which will include life safety upgrades, the addition of ADA-compliant restrooms and energy efficiency upgrades.


The former Dynamic book store at 20 Linden Street will become a retail classroom with a classroom experience for students on the autism spectrum.


The former Papa John’s, at what was once the Ratskeller, will host a student run Saxby’s coffee house.

Interior work was recently completed at Sykes Union, and by spring, an outdoor dining area will shade students at Sykes.


Wayne Hall is being converted from more than 200 student dorm rooms to faculty offices.

Officials were pleased to announce that students are now attending classes in the Business and Public Management Center which opened in January.


The campus also recently converted to a full geothermal energy system.


There are no current plans to expand the university’s footprint and purchase any additional real estate.

Source: Daily Local