By Amanda Hunt
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Some UA administrators and staff had a chance yesterday to roam the same building where Buffalo Bill Cody used to hang out.
An open house was held in the New Campus temporary offices, located in the Old Pueblo Club Building on South Stone Avenue. The building once housed a menÕs club, of which Col. William Fredrick Cody was a member in 1911.
Celestino Fernandez, executive vice president and provost of the New Campus in Pima County, and his planning and development team moved into the offices last semester. They held the open house because Òa lot of friends on campusÓ who are Òinterested and supportive of the New CampusÓ expressed interest in touring the facility, Fernandez said.
ÒItÕs wonderful. ItÕs a terrific facility,Ó Fernandez said. He said the move has Òworked out nicelyÓ for both the New Campus staff and the university. The team moved to the location to establish their own identity and free up needed space being used by the team, who were formerly scattered around the University of Arizona campus.
Originally opened in 1908, the Old Pueblo Club Building is presently owned by the Melikian family with Great Western Realty in Phoenix. The Melikian family had the historical building renovated several years ago. The interior boasts high archways in a warm desert peach color, wrought iron details, plate glass windows and honey colored wood flooring.
The only renovation changes done for the New Campus involved removing a wall in FernandezÕs office. The facility includes a front entry, several offices, a conference room and an open dining hall area. The building is being leased for $69,000 a year.
Lorraine Varela, executive assistant to the provost, agreed that the new facility is nice and the environment is relaxed. She said the parking is easier downtown, and it does not see as much traffic as the Administration building did.
ÒItÕs been a very good location because it helps us be a part of the community, not only downtown but with Tucson in general,Ó said John Kissler, special assistant to the provost.
The New Campus is slated for location at the IBM facility on South Rita Road, and is scheduled to open for classes in fall 1996. Fernandez and his planning team will move to that location in July 1996 and will probably go through several more moves before they have a permanent location.
The campus will be based on an interdisciplinary liberal arts core curriculum. The institution will be independent of the UA and will serve 10,000 students by 2010.