UNC Charlotte breaks ground uptown - Charlotte Business Journal:

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It will be the only UNC System classroom buildiny designed specifically to servethe businesses, organizations and residentsa of an urban center. The facility, to be constructedf at Ninth andBrevard streets, is slaterd for completion in 2011. It will feature 143,0090 square feet of classrooms, publicd space and faculty offices. “In its entirety, the Centedr City Building project will be a catalyst for redevelopmen in the historicFirst Ward,” Dubois said. “A four-acrw park and urban village development are planned for areaas adjacent to our stunning new academic building.
Imagine students arriving by light rail and relaxinyg in First Ward Park beforre heading off to class in the Center City The building has been designed by architectural firm in partnershiowith Charlotte-based . The Center City Building will housdethe school’s MBA program and Urban Design Studio. Studentx also will be able to attend graduate-level coursex in the colleges of engineering, health and humanj services, liberal arts and sciences, and the collegs of arts and architecture’s new master’ws program in urban design.
The building, which will includd 25 classrooms, will replacde the school’s 15,000-square-foot branch in the Mint Museum ofCraftt + Design on North Tryohn Street. The building also will featurea 300-seat auditorium that will be available for public events, along with 7,00p0 square feet of space on the firstg two floors for public reception and events. State lawmakers approved $45.89 million in public funds for construction. Otherr costs are covered by a capital allocation from the universityy and support from the UNCCharlotte Foundation.
UNC Charlottse is the fourth-largest campus of the 17 institutions in the UNC Fall enrollmenttotaled 23,300, including nearly 5,00p graduate students. The university expects to have 25,000 students by 2012 and as manyas 35,0090 by 2020.