Union officials begin talks on buildings’ futures

As part of a long-range master planning process, Wisconsin Union officials recently met with students, faculty and staff members to discuss future renovations at Memorial Union and Union South.

Roughly 70 people attended the session, during which Wisconsin Union director Mark Guthier discussed plans to rehabilitate and expand the facilities, while also preserving notable historical features.

Memorial Union and Union South are home to 27,000 events each year. However, space and scheduling limitations result in more than 1,000 reservations being turned away, so space is a key consideration, Guthier says.

“We hear very loud and clear that things like the Rathskeller are dear to people,” Guthier says. “People say ‘don’t ruin the Rathskeller; don’t mess with the ceiling in Tripp Commons.’ And, of course, that is something that we wouldn’t think about doing.”

For Memorial Union, proposals under consideration include a 300-seat film theater, additional space for student organizations, new meeting rooms, a new Hoofers area and piers, and a 1,000-seat ballroom adjoining the Wisconsin Union Theater.

Union South would receive either a major renovation of the existing building or a complete facelift, an outdoor amphitheater, the possibility of a new “urban terrace,” new food service options and infrastructure upgrades.

A proposal to destroy the existing Union South building has been discussed, though it is unlikely, Guthier says.

The proposals will undergo additional discussion and vetting by student governance bodies before final versions are compiled and finalized.

The renovations would take place in stages over a more than a decade, possibly starting during the 2007-09 biennium. The work would be funded by a variety of sources including alumni donations and student-segregated fees, Guthier says.