In the last few months, you may have walked past Wabash & 8th on your way to class, passed the bustling construction site of the new Student Center, and had a few questions pop into your head. Questions like what’s going to be in the new Student Center? or when do I get to go inside? or did I leave the stove on? Luckily for you, we have answers to (most of) those questions!

While getting to live and learn smack-dab in the middle of one of the greatest cities on earth is pretty darn great, one of the few drawbacks of having a city campus is the lack of more traditional college-centric spaces. But the Student Center, set to open in summer/fall 2019, is slated to be the perfect meeting spot that Columbia’s students have been sorely missing. This brand new building is going to be a student-focused facility, filled with tons of inspiring and convenient amenities. There will be a large variety of work spaces, practice spaces, meeting rooms, and even a recording studio. The Workroom will also be relocated to the Student Center, where it’s going to be reworked into an even bigger and more creative space. All these different venues are going to make it even easier to meet with other artists to collaborate on new projects, and once you finish your awesome work, the Student Center will also be the perfect place to show it off. Complete with open exhibition space and a film screening room, the centralized space will get as many eyes on your work as possible.

There’s also going to be a new coffee shop, a new fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, meditation/prayer rooms, and “pop up” style rotating food options. And if you just want a place to relax or study, the Student Center will have you covered. There will be plenty of lounges, quiet study rooms, and dining areas to satisfy everyone’s needs. In addition to these student-focused quality of life improvements, some of the school’s administrative departments will be getting a makeover in this addition. The Career Center and Student Life will find brand new tricked-out homes in the Student Center, so get ready to never again be confused about which building you need to get to.

For more information on the Student Center and to watch a live feed of the construction progress, click here.