Treanor Architects

Memorial Union at Emporia State University is the first student union building constructed west of the Mississippi River. Built in the 1920s in two phases, the Memorial Union had three major additions completed in 1958, 1963 and 1972. Maintenance improvements and minor renovations have been made over the years with the most recent remodel completed in 1989. The building houses the only food service operation on campus, and is frequently used by the university, city and county for conferences and other large group activities.

This renovation project will transform the building to meet the changing needs of the student population and the surrounding community, and will replace the mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure, streamline and update the food service operations, create visual connections between floors, and redesign the floor plan to accommodate student programs, conferences and offices.

When complete, the building will house the Center for Student Involvement, a multicultural center, the international education program, career services, admissions, a bookstore, several food service venues, the Veterans’ Hall of Honor and a conference center. A new addition will become the “front door” for prospective students and their parents, alumni and other visitors. It will serve as the center for university information, ticket sales, enrollment, student ID’s, and similar activities.

The construction will be phased in order to keep the facility in operation throughout its duration, and is scheduled to be complete in summer 2012.