Ryan Cos. was selected to complete this project after 85% of the demolition was completed, at which time the scope of the project was revised to meet budget parameters. The University of Minnesota also selected Ryan Cos. to provide design-build services for the Law School addition and renovation completed earlier this year.
Architectural firm Ellerbe Beckett has been subcontracted by Ryan Companies to join thedesign-build team for this project.
"Design-build" is becoming a popular option for public entities such as the University of Minnesota because it provides "greater certainty of results for complex projects relative to design features, budget and schedule," says Jim Ryan, chief executive officer of Ryan Cos.
Coffman Union was built in 1939 in a style called "Steamship Modern" and was cited as the Twin Cities' most distinguished building in the 1930s by Architectural Record magazine. Due to a growing university population, the Union has been remodeled and expanded more than once. Steps being taken to restore the original character of Coffman Union include the installation of new doors and windows with traditional styling, exterior restoration including tuckpointing and the re-installation of the University's Florentine fountain.
The renovated Union will include more lounge and student organization space, a 24-hour computer lab, 400-seat multi-purpose theater and extra dining space.
The main entrance will be renovated to include new steps and a colonnade. The south side of the building will host a new four-story glass curtainwall overlooking the terrace and the river. The ground floor will feature a post office, copy center, coffee shop, food vendors and a 46,000-sf campus bookstore to be located in the former undergroundparking garage.
The Ryan team will reassemble and restore the bronze Florentine fountain. The fountain was cast in 1633 by the renowned Pietro Tacca, brought to Minnesota from Italy in 1920, then was donated by James Ford Bell to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1961. The fountain was dismantled and put into storage when demolition began in 1999. Ryan will install it in its previous location on the south terrace overlooking the sloped grassy space leading to the Mississippi River.
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