Student Union addition design wins international award
November 16th, 2009Preparation for installation of glass under way

Work on the Student Union addition continues as the building's design wins an international design award.
The design of the Student Union addition has received a 2009 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Metropolitan Arts Press.
“I’m thrilled that the Student Union addition received an American Architecture Award. It’s a great honor for the college,” said John McEnrue, director of facilities design and construction.
A group of German architects recently selected 64 projects as the best new United States building and designs. The awards program – established in the 1990s – honors and recognizes outstanding new achievements and innovation for new architecture designed and built in the United States by national and international architecture firms practicing in the states.
“This award is highly sought after and will most certainly draw further attention to our campus from both here, in the United States, and from Europe,” said McEnrue.
“The award celebrates the new structure’s unique design, its symbolic relationship to the Shawangunk Mountains and, most importantly, its purpose.”

Sample of installed glass.
Project manager Garry Nack (Facilities Design and Construction) said the steel frame of the building is up and construction workers are preparing the frame for the installation of glass. The exterior framing is nearly 75 percent complete. The installation of glass is to begin this week. The entire structure should be enclosed by mid-January.
The project includes approximately 12,000 square feet of additional space and approximately 12,000 square feet of renovated space to provide students with new places to gather and hold meetings. Work on the interior renovations has been taking place throughout the process, which officially began in December 2008. The addition is set to be open in mid-2010.

