Mar 29, 2017 10:22 PM EDT By Anne Collins, UniversityHerald Reporter

A portion of the University Union at Sacramento State has already begun demolition as part of their expansion and renovation project. The state plans to spend $53 million in student fees, reserves and other revenues on the project.

Construction is expected to add 42,000 square feet to the 183,000-square-foot building. They plan to add conference rooms, retail space, a Starbucks, study lounges and more indoor and outdoor seating. The construction on the three-story addition to the north side of the building is expected to be completed by August 2018.

Bill Olmsted, associate executive director of Union Well Inc., which is a campus non-profit that operates the building said that they have been talking about the expansion of the building for the last three years. The University Union's growing enrollment has affected its capacity. Students have been sitting in hallways, perch or on steps in a stairwell to eat lunch or do their papers.

The building, which houses study areas, food services, meeting spaces and program offices really needs the expansion to cater to all student needs. Olmsted said the expansion will increase the number of meeting rooms to accommodate student and community groups that had to compete for the limited space.

Some of the campus organizations had to move elsewhere on campus during the renovation. The State Hornet student-run newspaper relocated south of Highway 50 before they landed space in Del Norte Hall.

Dreyfuss + Blackford Architecture has been chosen to be the architect for the University Union project. McCarthy Building Companies is the contractor. The University Union expansion is just the beginning as it is a part of a major plan to overhaul the Sacramento State campus over the next 20 years.

According to The Sacramento Bee the university plans a 1.3 million square feet of new construction. It includes student and faculty housing, performing arts center, student events center, additional parking structures, and a new science and engineering buildings. University officials said the estimate cost is $3.7 billion.

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