The University Center expansion is opening within the next week with a scheduled ribbon cutting date of March 3 as a construction project aimed at easing congestion of the USI community.

The $18.4 million project, now referred to as “UC East,” offers a new home for student organizations and two new restaurants.

The official opening date of UC East is undetermined.

“It is likely that the only student organizations that will be moved in before the ribbon cutting will be APB, SGA and The Shield,” said Barry Schonberger, dean of students.    

It is possible that the food service area of UC East will be open while work is continued in the rest of the building.

UC East was due for completion in Fall of 2010, however, five months later completion is finally on the horizon.

“It is always more difficult to take an existing building and turn it into something different than starting from scratch,” Schonberger said.

The university will be welcoming two new dining options: Cyclone Salads and Salsa Rico, a Mexican restaurant. These restaurants were chosen according to a Sodexo survey that was given to the student body a couple of years ago.

A majority of the lower level is comprised of work stations, providing students the opportunity to have storage space and workspace. There is a conference room as well.

APB and SGA will have their own conference rooms.

The offices will only be open 24/7 to students with higher authority while students with lower authority have limited access. Students will use their IDs for a card swipe system to access an area.

On the main level is the food court, the fireside lounge and four student offices: student development, the multicultural center, international programs and services and the deans office.

On the upper level, there is additional conference space as well as two lounges.

Many have noticed that the cone is already starting to rust, but Mark Rozewski, vice president for finance and administration, explained that this is a by-product of using a natural stone, like the Indiana limestone that the cone is made of.

The iron in the earth has caused the cone to rust.

“Eventually the cone will have a patina of different colors, and that’s something to be welcomed,” he said.