Tivoli outdoor rejuvination project to begin this summer
By Josie Klemaier
jklemaie@mscd.edu

      Construction that would move the Tivoli Student Union’s loading dock from the Plaza Building to the south side of Tivoli will begin late this summer, followed by a number of other renovation projects if funding allows.
      The loading dock for the Auraria Bookstore is presently located on the southwest side of the Plaza Building. Trucks, in order to reach it, must drive across a pedestrian sidewalk. Relocation of the loading dock and construction of a service drive will cut down on the number of vehicles that have to cross this area, said Barbara Weiske, division director at Student Auxiliary Services of Auraria Campus.
      Another project involves relocating the RTD bus roundabout located just southeast of the Tivoli. RTD has agreed to relocate its bus stop once a new roundabout is constructed northwest of the North Classroom. The relocation is also tentatively set for late summer.
“RTD mutually shared safety concerns,” Weiske said about the location of the present roundabout.
The relocation of the roundabout will leave more pedestrian-only space, resulting in an easier flow of foot traffic between the Tivoli and the rest of the Auraria campus to the east.
      Design firm Slater Paull & Associates, which has been in charge of design for the entire Tivoli revitalization project, has designed plans that include an event space with an amphitheater, as well as a series of multi-leveled patios in front of the Tivoli.
Alhough construction on the new loading dock and roundabout is definite, designs for other installations are pending a cost estimate, and their completion will depend on budget, Weiske said.
      The Tivoli became the student union in 1994 at the request of students. Since then, the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board and the Guidelines for Use of Facilities Committee have been involved in the renovation of the building—which in the past served as a brewery, bar and shopping mall—to transform it into the student union it is today. Construction is ongoing as more spaces are being renovated into student lounges and meeting halls.