The center also could be used as a staging area in case of disasters. The saferoom/conference center could hold 1,700 people during storms if all were standing, Hargrave said. The project, which should be completed in 18 to 20 months, will add 30 to 40 well-paying jobs to the city during construction. Hargrave hopes construction can begin as funds become available. Including the grant, approximately $7.4 million has been secured through pledges or gifts, leaving $3.7 million still to be raised. The third floor will contain the dean’s office, faculty offices, conference rooms, computer labs and a student work area.Īpproximately $2 million in additional funds will be needed for fixtures, furniture and equipment, making the total cost of the building $11.1 million. Each classroom will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The second floor is reserved for the School of Business classrooms and student lounge. The first floor also will house the Small Business Development Center, ECU Police Department, a synergistic learning center and a food court. It will cover basically most of the first floor in the building,” he said. “Considering the construction cost only, which is $9.4 million, this grant is 21 percent of the total budget for construction. Steve Turner, ECU vice president for finance and administration. ” The FEMA grant has a big impact on the construction of the Business and Conference Center, said Dr. “And, it will be a place the community can gather for special events.
It will bring more people to Ada, and that will benefit hotels, motels, restaurants, gas stations and retail stores,” Hargrave said. “The Business and Conference Center will provide new technology and innovative approaches to students in the School of Business.
“Not only will this grant provide a safe place to stay during bad weather, it will enhance the partnership of the university, the Ada Arts District, the City of Ada and the business community,” said ECU President John Hargrave. The three-story, 53,000 square-foot facility also will be the new home of ECU’s School of Business. The 8,960 square-foot saferoom also will double as a conference room in ECU’s new Business and Conference Center that will be constructed on Main Street west of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. Ada will have a community saferoom available to as many as 1,700 people during stormy weather, thanks to a $1.46 million grant awarded to East Central University by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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