Liberty Campus Construction Update: What students can expect to see changed once they return from break
Liberty students look forward to going home for Christmas break, but they can also look forward to returning to a renovated and improved campus after the holidays.
Construction on campus will continue to make progress over break. Daniel Deter, vice president of major construction on the Planning & Construction team at Liberty said the Liberty Arena and the 2,200-space parking garage are the largest projects in progress.
“The major construction being done is the Liberty Arena with the addition of a basketball court, two massive screens, and roof trusses,” Deter said.
The arena is expected to be finished by fall 2020, just in time for the 2020 basketball season to begin. The women’s volleyball team also will move over to the smaller space, and their operations center will be inside the multiuse arena.
Director of Athletics Ian McCaw says the Liberty Arena will provide a more intimate environment for the team, and give fans a more enjoyable experience overall.
“Flames fans will enjoy the arena’s modern amenities, including premium seating and hospitality areas,” McCaw told Liberty News.
The parking garage on East Campus will also see noticeable progress, Deter noted.
“The part of construction that is being worked on the most is the heart of campus at the Liberty Arena Expansion (next to) Vines, but East Campus is the biggest site with the most disturbed dirt,” Deter said.
Students will still have to see construction for a while after break, but the wait will eventually pay off. Over 2,000 more parking spaces will be available in the new parking garage, making parking more accessible for students living on East Campus.
Another project that is expected to be finished in January 2020 is the Liberty Football Center, formerly the Football Operations Center, that is located at the north end of Williams Stadium. The Center, which is undergoing a significant expansion in size, remained under construction throughout the entire 2019 football season.
After break, students will see visible progress, if not the finishing touches, on the Liberty Football Center.
“The exterior of the LFC will be complete with the enclosure of the windows to the exterior,” Deter said.
While students are away from campus resting, construction work on campus will continue to buzz as the Construction & Planning department try to remain on schedule with all of their large projects around campus.
As the Construction and Planning department looks to the future, they have plans set to start building an indoor tennis facility, which will be completed by the end of 2020 according to Deter. Off of Liberty’s main campus, the construction team plans to tear down Sears located in River Ridge Mall, filling that space with new tenants over this upcoming summer.
“Lease deals are still being negotiated, but there will be new stores in the fall when the students come back,” Deter said. “Seaquest is already open and this would be a good place for students to visit.”