By Alexis Young
Staff Writer
The construction of the new Merton Center remains in the concept phase.
University Ministries is working with an architect to make modifications to the design and layout of the new building to fill the needs of University Ministries, while staying within the assigned budget.
“There’s the architectural triangle that I learned during this project: quality, quantity and finances. You can only really have two because the third one is going to suffer,” said Father Francis Di Spigno, O.F.M. “It’s not a fixed triangle because you move one and it automatically influences the other two. So right now we are trying to find the equilibrium of that triangle and we’re almost there.”
Fr. Francis forecasted that the concept phase will be completed within a month. After the concept phase is complete, bids will be sent to contractors and negotiations will be made. This process is believed to be completed by spring, with construction to begin at the close of this semester.
“There’s been some frustration, but others have told me that this is part of the process, and that has been my experience in the past,” said Di Spigno. “It doesn’t happen overnight; it doesn’t happen quickly. It takes a while. So I’m very happy with how we’re moving. We’re moving in the right direction; this thing is going to be great.”
With the brick and clay tile roofing, the exterior of the building will bring together the old-world feel found in many buildings on campus along with a new, modern edge. The single story building will boast an interfaith tower, an outdoor courtyard, a great room, a kitchen and more office spaces.
However, students said they will be saddened to see the old building go. Ellen Piper, junior Theology major, shared this sentiment.
“In an interview, I was once asked if I were any building on campus, what building would I be and I said the Merton Center,” said Piper. “It feels really homey in there and I like the smoke stack on the outside. It’s quirky. To me, that smoke stack is more iconic than the bell tower.”
Di Spigno chose to locate the new building on the site where the Merton currently stands. He feels that this space holds all the components of student life as academics, religion, athletics and social life all come together in the quad.
“I think the remodeling of the Merton Center is a great step for the St. Bonaventure campus,” said senior accounting and finance major Sebastian Bellm. “The Merton, as the ‘heart’ of the campus, should be a place where students can come together, and a remodeled building will help that happen.”
At the end of the semester the University Ministries staff will be temporarily relocating to the second floor of Murphy.
@youngam13@bonaventure.edu
