Construction on the student union on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus continues. Mechanical and plumbing work is in progress to be followed by glasswork, brick veneer, metal wall panels and everything that closes in the building. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. / Photo courtesy of UL’s Communications and Marketin

Construction on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette student union remains on schedule to be completed by the end of the year.

Current work on the building includes completion of the building envelope — the glass work, storefront, curtain wall, brick veneer, metal wall panels and everything else that closes in the building from the elements.

Jack Craft, the project superintendent, said “all of the guts of the building” are in place.

Demolition of the original student union building, constructed in 1971, began at the end of 2012. The $36 million renovation and expansion project is part of the UL Master Plan and is being funded by self-assessed student fees.

The new building will include 128,000 square feet and will be closer to McKinley Street than the previous building to allow for more green space overlooking Cypress Lake at the back of the building.

“It should be the hub and the heartbeat of the campus from what I can see,” Craft said. “You’ve got the cafeteria, the dining area, all the office areas, the bookstore. You’ve also got the ballroom, the theater, so you’re going to have a little bit of everything that is going to affect the life of everyone around it.”

Joey Pons, associate director of public safety and risk manager for UL, is responsible for some of the building systems of the union, such as the elevators and fire alarms.

He is also responsible for ensuring student and faculty safety during the construction process.

“A project of this size is huge. It literally takes up a city block, and it’s right here in the heart of our campus,” Pons said. “I want to make sure that our pedestrians that are walking around the site can do so safely.”

Fences and signs surrounding the site help to keep students safe, as does keeping open some of the sidewalks surrounding the union.

With little more than nine months until the expected completion date, the student union is becoming less of an abstract concept and more of a reality.

“You look at it on drawings a lot during the planning phase,” Pons said. “But when you start to see it in three dimensions, you really start to appreciate the value and how much it’s going to mean to our students and faculty.”