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Highsmith Student Union is currently undergoing a massive renovation project, set to be complete by the opening of the Fall 2018 semester.
Highsmith renovation continues with high expectations
RACHEL BOYLE
Sports Staff Writer
rboylel ©unca.edu
Since last spring, UNC Asheville
has planned to complete renova
tions to Highsmith Student Union
by August. The renovations are
adding a lot of amenities to the
Union for students to enjoy.
Information about the renovations
can be found posted in Highsmith,
at different promotional events and
located around the blocked-off ar
eas where the construction is taking
place. One sophomore student said
she is pleased with the upcoming
changes and believe it will draw
them to use the Union more than
before.
“I used to live in Founders
and even then I would just use
Highsmith Union as a place to
grab a snack and a way to just sim
ply get to my room,” said Meghan
Bewick, a health and wellness stu
dent. “Now I think I am going to
be spending a lot more time there
other than just eating at the Grotto.
I mean, they are opening a coffee
shop and two fireplaces to hang out
around. I want to use all the new
changes as much as possible before
I graduate.”
The Highsmith Student Union
acts as a safe community space for
students to use. Many student orga
nizations host student-led events at
the Grotto, which includes a stage
for performances. The building
also hosts an art gallery, the Game
Room where students go to play
pool and ping pong with friends
and the free store located outside
where students can give away and
take items for free.
“I really enjoy spending my
leisure time in the Grotto. There
is always something unexpect
ed happening here from concerts
to drag shows, while I am eating
my lunch or dinner. I grab dinner
with my roommates all the time at
Highsmith and sometimes we go
when they are hosting a movie like
Finding Dory, ” Bewick said.
Highsmith is expecting to have a
new design come August, but it will
still maintain many of the featured
spots students have come to love.
Costs for renovating the Union aim
to be around $12.5 million.
Alex Bortey, a junior manage
ment student, works in the mail
room of Highsmith and has heard
much about the upcoming changes.
“Highsmith’s growth is expected
to be about 6,513 square feet de
signed for student use. They said
there will still be a lot of the same
facilities like the food court and stu
dent gallery along with others, but
new spaces will be added on like a
new coffee lounge and gender neu
tral bathrooms,” Bortey said. “Af
ter all, Highsmith’s purpose is to
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