Construction underway for Southeast's Center for Excellence in Mass Media

Work has begun on Southeast Missouri State University’s Center for Excellence in Mass Media.

The former First Federal Savings and Loan Building at 325 Broadway in Cape Girardeau is being transformed into a hands-on media learning center for use by the university’s mass-media department, including the television and video production program and the student newspaper, The Arrow.

Project manager Justin Kertz said construction efforts on the building are expected to be completed in May, leaving the university several months to move into the new facilities before the fall semester. Senior project manager Lisa Howe said in an email move-in will begin immediately after construction is finished, and “faculty and staff will use the space before the fall semester.”

The former First Federal Savings and Loan building is seen Monday at 325 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. The building will become a media learning center for Southeast Missouri State University.Fred Lynch

St. Louis firm Archimages Inc. designed the space, and Kiefner Brothers Inc. in Cape Girardeau is the building contractor. Construction in the 12,000-square-foot space is in its early stages, with metal beams exposed on the main floor and walls not yet installed. A large studio center is planned along the east wall of the street-level floor. A lecture lounge, lobby, audio rooms, equipment room and offices are included in the first floor’s design.

Corey Hanselman braces wall studs inside the former First Federal Savings and Loan building Monday at 325 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com

On the basement level, students will have access to a large group workspace, conference rooms and more audio rooms and offices.

In an email, Karie Hollerbach, chairwoman of the university’s department of mass media, said university faculty will not have permanent office space in the building, although faculty from across the four curricular options — advertising, multimedia journalism, public relations and TV/film — will work with students there. She expects 30 to 40 students to use the facility each semester. Only one class, Media Management, will be taught in the facility.

Students who need to access the center will have transportation available to them. University buses will follow the same route as those that travel to the River Campus.

The former First Federal Savings and Loan building at 325 Broadway is being transformed into a media learning center for Southeast Missouri State University as seen Monday in Cape Girardeau.FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com

The project is a partnership with Rust Communications, which owns the site and the Southeast Missourian. The center will be situated next to the Southeast Missourian and rustmedia offices, with the KFVS12 building across the street.

The proximity of the university to local media outlets is beneficial because of the various partnerships the university has made. In 2011, the university contracted with the Southeast Missourian to oversee production of The Arrow and create a more robust, student-produced news website. More recently, the university entered into a similar agreement with KFVS12 in which students produce two hours’ worth of programming on WQWQ, a KFVS12 affiliate.

“Locating our student media/production facilities adjacent to these two partners should facilitate even more collaboration,” Hollerbach said.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

325 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.