With new grass taking root and temporary fences disappearing, the completion of several construction projects is returning ACU’s campus to an improved version of its former glory.

AT&T Learning Studio

Construction on the third floor of the Brown Library will come to a close in the next several weeks as the AT&T Learning Studio plans to open Feb. 28.

The AT&T Learning Studio will function as an addition to the ACU Digital Media Center, giving students access to renovated audio and video studios and offering collaboration rooms and media support staff for first-timers and advanced technology users alike.

The completed center will feature a ribbon cutting Feb. 28, with guests from AT&T and the community in attendance. In conjunction with the opening, students, faculty and interested community members can attend the Connected Mobile Conference on Feb. 28 and March 1.

Tours of the facility and the updated technology will be available for students the week before the opening. Also, faculty will have the opportunity to attend informational lunches about the studio in the Adams Center at 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22.

Kyle Dickson, ­­­director of the AT&T Learning Studio and associate professor of English, said he believes the center will bring a new energy to the library.

“The facility is designed to spark student creativity and collaboration,” Dickson said. “The library has lots of places that support individual study, but everything from the furniture to the technology in the new learning studio will help make groups more productive.”

Until the opening, students are encouraged to be mindful of construction areas and to avoid the third floor of the library as much as possible. More information on the center can be found at blogs.acu.edu/learningstudio.

Loop Line

Also recently, the campus has seen the completion of its 43-year old loop line system’s reconstruction. The loop line, responsible for transporting the hot and chilled water necessary for campus-wide heating and air conditioning, faced problems due to its outdated piping design.

Zane Dennis, executive director of facilities and campus development, oversaw the $6 million project to restore the loop line.

“Construction projects are always going to have struggles,” Dennis said. “But it’s about overcoming them, and that’s true for all building.”

Dennis said the new line will be more economical and efficient.

Construction on the loop line began last May and was completed by October. Dennis said campus aesthetics were completely restored by mid-December, as students left for winter break.

Rec Center

Progress on the Royce and Pam Money Student and Recreation Wellness Center also is moving steadily along, with the completion of the center scheduled for late this summer, Dennis said. Students will have full access to the center and its services by fall semester.

Dennis said this building will allow students to rely more on campus services for their health needs and possible job opportunities.

“It’s going to be a phenomenal building,” Dennis said. “There will be nothing like it on campus.”