By Ann McBride
Arizona Daily Wildcat
The new $10 million UA administrative office building at 888 N. Euclid Ave. is 60 percent completed and will be ready for a majority of its 400 tenants by Dec. 8.
Robert Preble, project manager for facilities management, said the goal is to move tenants housed in non-UA owned properties first. This will depend upon what is least disruptive to the 17 departments that are moving, though.
Prior to construction, the UA entered into a 30-year lease-purchase agreement with the Marshall Foundation, a major property owner west of campus. After 30 years, the university will own the building and land.
A third-floor bridge connects the administrative building to a five-story 1,044-space parking garage. The UA already owned the land where the approximate $4 million parking garage is located.
Initially, the university had hoped to use 90 percent of the administrative building's 104,000 square feet as office space with separate personal cubicles, he said. But, due to issues of confidentiality which required private offices, the university purchased $650,000 worth of modular furniture that will occupy 70 percent of its space.
For the Extended University, the December move means relocating its 50 employees from 1955 E. Sixth St. and informing its 26,000 students of the move.
Ronald Roberts, director of finance and administration at the Extended University, believes the move will disrupt students. An employee will be transferred to the new building as soon as telephone lines are connected and representatives will work out of both locations until the move is complete.
Extended University will occupy the third floor, which includes office space and large classrooms for its day and evening courses.
Architectural plans called for the bridge linking Extended University with the parking garage to alleviate safety concerns for students enrolled in evening courses.
Students will either be given an electronic access card to enter the building via the third floor bridge or an employee will monitor the door at night, Preble said. With so many offices located in the annex, security will be an issue and the building will close at 5 p.m.
Roberts said the staff is excited about the move because they will have more class and administrative space and it's a good way to get back on campus.
Parking and Transportation Services along with Human Resources will occupy the building's ground floor.
Marlis Davis, parking and transportation director, said its 60 employees cannot relocate until closer to February due to a busy December and January season. Between Copper Bowl festivities in late December and issuing spring semester parking permits, Davis said the department will