Western Carolina University is expecting a new addition to their campus! The much anticipated Tom Apodaca Science Building will soon be ready to begin construction.
Designs for the new STEM Natural Science Building coming to WCU in 2021
Although some believe that the ground has already been broken, due to the clearing of debris of the former concrete stadium, on the site of the former Natural Science Building, no official construction has started. A ceremony is set to commemorate the start of construction on Friday, March 2.
This ground breaking date has caused a bit of confusion due to two different dates announced from both WCUs homepage, saying construction would begin on March 2, and the Facilities Management Current Projects page, saying construction would begin sometime in April 2018. The date has been confirmed to occur on March 2.
The ground breaking ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. in the courtyard of Hunter Library, adjacent to the construction site with a reception to follow right after. Participants will include WCU officials, current and former state legislators, University of North Carolina System President Margret Spellings, and UNC Board of Governors Chair Lou Bissette.
The new building, named after former NC Sen. Thomas M. Apodaca, will bring the much needed space and resources needed for WCU’s growing student population of the engineering, technology, burgeoning science, and mathematics (or STEM) fields that the old Natural Science Building has been lacking to provide.
Completion and occupancy of the new building should take place in June 2021 with final demolition of the pe-existing Natural Sciences building and of the Niggli Theater done by Nov. 2021.
