CLAIRE C. LAURENCE/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior Vice President for Campus Life Saundra Taylor addresses people gathered for the Alumni Plaza groundbreaking ceremony on Friday afternoon. The plaza is expected to cost $4.85 million.

A crowd of nearly 300 red-and blue-clad students, faculty and alumni turned out to witness the groundbreaking of the long awaited Alumni Plaza.

Twenty red and blue shovels lining the wall of the Administration building were handed out to honored Alumni Plaza groundbreakers, including ASUA President J.P. Benedict, Director of the Alumni Office Sandra Ruhl, and UA men's basketball coach Lute Olson.

President Peter Likins grinned as he shoveled the first scoop of soil out of a patch of pre-marked ground where, in one year's time, the new $4.85 million Alumni Plaza will stand.

Bob Charles, chair of the Arizona Experience and the Alumni Plaza Campaign said the new plaza will enhance the Mall.

"The plaza, when it's finished is the focal point of the whole Mall," said Charles, adding that some aspects of the existing Administration building were ready for renovation.

"The Administration building is kind of like a wart sitting out in the middle of nowhere," Charles said. "It really doesn't fit in with a lot of what else is around here."

Charles also said that because the plaza is being constructed primarily for student use, the alumni association has attempted to certify that all organizations on campus are satisfied.

"It's something for the alumni to come back and take a look at and be proud of, but the students are the ones that are going to be able to really enjoy this because it's a gathering point," he said.

The new plaza will be home to a host of native Sonoran Desert plants, an elliptical grassy hill, four new fountains, 50 alumni benches and a bronze Wildcat family statue.

Amphitheater-style steps will be built in front of the Administration building to complement the existing entrance.

The amphitheater will give students a place to lounge in between classes as well as another venue for music performances and other formal events. Alumni present at the groundbreaking said that they were there to support an exciting chapter in UA history.

Mary Riordan, who graduated from the UA in 1970 and has worked as an associate librarian in the UA's medical library for nearly 34 years, said the Alumni Plaza will be a nice addition to campus.

"I think it's a great way to give an opportunity to people to remember," Riordan said.

Albert Makkay, a former member of the Alumni Board of Directors and graduate of the class of '61, said that he and his wife came from their home in Massachusetts to be at the ceremony.

"I think it'll be a wonderful addition," Makkay said. "It's the centerpiece of the campus."

Phillip May, who was responsible for the original concept for the Alumni Plaza, said that the plaza is intended to be a gift from the Alumni Association to the UA that will allow every student a glimpse of the UA's rich history.

"There's never been anything like this done before," May said.

Saundra Taylor, senior vice-president of Campus Life, kicked off the groundbreaking as the master of ceremonies for the event.

Taylor asked for a moment of silence during which the USS Arizona bell rang seven times in memory of Bill Bowers, a UA alumnus, who recently died at the age of 100.

Bowers salvaged the bell from the battleship, which sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In her speech, Taylor said that the plaza would serve as an important addition to the UA campus.

"Outdoor spaces on campus where people can come together are important to the learning and the social experience of the university," Taylor said.

Following her address, several members of the UA community including Likins, Benedict and Ruhl, addressed the crowd. Now that the groundbreaking is behind them, those involved in the project said there is a lot of work ahead.

Nancy Yaeli, associate director of the Alumni Office, said that the Alumni Association wants to minimize disruption to the UA community during construction.

Construction on the plaza will occur in six phases to minimize disruption to students and staff.

The first phase of plaza construction, which will have the most direct impact on students, will begin Dec. 15 and continue through February of next year.

"Our goal, of course, is to have (the plaza) done by the time the students come back next August," said Yaeli, who coordinated the events at the groundbreaking.

Carol Kemmeries, an honored groundbreaker and past chair of the Alumni Association Board, said that she is looking forward to the speedy completion of the plaza.

"Next year at this time, we're going to have a monstrous party."