REGENTS DISCUSS PROPOSED DESIGN OF RIVER CAMPUS

A team of architectural firms led by Sverdrup CRRS of St. Louis and Barton Meyers of Los Angeles will likely work together to design the Southeast Missouri State University fine arts campus.

The two firms were the finalists of 10 companies competing to provide architectural and engineering services for the university's River Campus at the old St. Vincent's Seminary. The firms devised a joint effort to provide for the university.

The collaboration was announced at the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents meeting Thursday.

"Barton and I looked at the values of our firms working together, and it became very clear both our firms had some very evident strengths to bring to the table," said Brad Simmons of Sverdrup.

Barton Meyers said the collaboration will bring a state-of-the-art fine arts complex to Cape Girardeau.

The committee said the collaboration is the best option to develop the River Campus. "Barton Meyers has a world-class reputation in performing arts programs around the country, and Sverdrup is a friend of ours that has done wonderful work for the university," said Dr. Pauline Fox.

Dance instructor and associate dean Marc Strauss agreed. "Clearly, both architectural firms are from major schools of art and architecture," he said. "This is simply a wonderful team and we are excited that they will be working together."

Simmons said Sverdrup would be the "architect of record" for the estimated $38 million project. As such, the company would contract with the university and be the group ultimately responsible for the design of classrooms, administrative space, various practice studios and a performance theater to serve five fine arts divisions.

Throughout the project, Sverdrup would be responsible for the design of academic classrooms and labs, a new museum and visual spaces for music, theater and dance departments. Barton Meyers would take the lead on performance areas such as the 1,000-seat theater.

"I think that Barton and his group have a level of expertise that just couldn't be overlooked in that area," Simmons said.