REGENTS EVALUATE DESIGNERS

CAPE GIRARDEAU - After hearing presentations from two firms interested in designing a new College of Business Administration Building, the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents Friday asked for more specific information before a decision is made.

Five representatives of Sverdrup Corporation and two representatives from Hastings and Chivetta, both St. Louis-based firms, gave presentations at the special meeting.

Dr. Robert Foster, executive vice president at Southeast, explained that the two firms were chosen by a special committee of university officials after reviewing 22 written proposals from prospective architects. Five were invited to make formal presentations to the committee, and the top two were chosen to meet with the regents.

"These two firms emerged as a class unto themselves," said Foster.

The Hastings and Chivetta firm designed the Show Me Center. Although Sverdrup has not done any buildings at Southeast, one of its recent projects in this area was the design of the new Capital Bank Building on the intersection of Broadway and North Kingshighway.

The regents asked Foster to gather more specific information about the financial arrangements and services from the two firms to help them make a decision.

Based on their presentations, Foster said, "both appeared fully qualified to design and supervise construction of a major project like the College of Business Administration Building."

In brief remarks to the regents before the presentations, Foster noted that this project will be "the capital improvement of the '90s" for Southeast.

Representatives of both firms, in their presentations, focused on the "landmark" status of the new building and stressed it was important the facility provide a good image and become a focal point for the campus.

One proposed site for the 130,000-square-foot structure is at the corner of Henderson and New Madrid, although it is likely other sites will be looked at as part of the planning process.

Last year, the Missouri General Assembly appropriated $100,000 to the university for planning money, but because of the state's tight financial condition, further funding is uncertain at this time.

As part of its $25 million "A New Vision of Excellence" capital campaign, the University Foundation is trying to raise $2.4 million in private gifts for the building to supplement a future state appropriation for construction.

The proposed cost of the building is $14.8 million.

"The new building is the university's most critical capital improvement need of the 1990s, because business programs at Southeast grew so rapidly over the last decade," explained Foster. "There are now more than 1,500 declared business majors, compared to only 700 in 1980."

Foster pointed out that the six departments of the College of Business are scattered across the campus in four different locations, which makes it difficult for students and faculty to interact.

"Bringing the college together in a single location is an important step toward the university's goal of national accreditation by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business," noted Foster.

In comments to the regents, Pat Spector of Sverdrup said his firm was excited about "designing a landmark building" and hoped to design a building that would serve as an entry point to the campus.

Tony Chivetta, speaking for Hastings and Chivetta, said the firm had a good relationship with the university during construction of the Show Me Center and noted that the same project manager and construction administrator from that project would be involved with this building.

Chivetta said he would also have the Mitchell-Gurgola architecture firm assisting them with the design.

Selection of the architect for the new building began in September when President Kala M. Stroup appointed a selection committee. Besides Dr. Stroup, other members were Foster; Dr. Leslie H. Cochran, provost; Dr. Richard Schmidt, dean of the College of Business Administration; and Jens Brammer, university planning engineer.