The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs conducted a large-scale survey of students in spring 2005 concerning possible renovations to and expansion of the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center. Vice Chancellor Tim Rogers characterized the survey as a “needs assessment” to begin the planning process. Some of the suggested needs included a dry cleaning service, a branch of a local bank, an expanded bookstore, expanded dining services, and more technologically advanced resources. The Division of Student Affairs (later, Student Life) determined that a new facility was required to meet the program devised, and that, since the principal source of funding for the building and associated facilities was to be the Student Programs and Services Fee, the completed structure would be known as the Student Union.
The project was divided into two phases, in order to keep bookstore and dining facilities open for students. Construction began on Phase I on March 16, 2012, with the razing of the parking garage to allow its site to be used for construction of a six-story, 142,000-square-foot structure housing VolShop and VolTech, Career Services (which would move from Dunford Hall) and expanded dining opportunities. Temple Court, Aconda Court, and 812 Volunteer Boulevard were later razed to expand the site for new construction of Phase II of the project. Phase I of the project also included a pedestrian walkway stretching from Volunteer Boulevard near the Haslam Business Building to the Hill, near the Burchfiel Geography Building; improvements to Staff Lot 9; and expansion of the pedestrian mall (closing Andy Holt Avenue from Volunteer Boulevard to Philip Fulmer Way) and expansion of Philip Fulmer Way. The pedestrian walkway and improvements to Lot 9 were scheduled for completion in summer 2014, with the Phase I building scheduled for completion for spring 2015.
Following occupancy of the Phase I building, remaining functions located in the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center were slated for accommodation in temporary locations to allow razing the university center to provide the site for a new 248,000-square-foot structure housing a new auditorium, a ballroom, and dining, meeting, and recreation spaces. Phase II was scheduled for completion in 2017.
Cost of the project was approved at $167.6 million. Architects were McCarty, Holsaple, McCarty and Barber McMurry. The contractor was Rentenbach.