NORTH MANCHESTER — The new year will see two major construction projects at Manchester University: A $1 million intercultural center and an $8.5 million new college of business and student services hub.
Construction of the Jean Childs Young Intercultural Center began last month, while groundbreaking for the Augustus and Lockie Chinworth Center is expected in mid-May.
The university on Tuesday unveiled plans for the Chinworth Center, which is slated to open at the start of the 2019-20 academic year.
The center will be located just north of the Jo Young Switzer Center on East Street. On the first floor will be a “one-stop-shop” for students services like financial aid and the registrar along with a commuter lounge, coffee bar and offices for honors, study abroad and student activities, the university said. Upstairs will be the new College of Business, which will move from its current location in the Academic Center across the street.
The university says the move will create more space for academic programs to grow in both spaces.
“We are forever grateful to alumnus Herb Chinworth who gave Manchester more than $5 million to name the facility in honor of his parents, Augustus and Lockie Chinworth,” said MU President Dave McFadden.
Herb Chinworth pledged $5 million toward the project as part of a “Students First” campaign, which ended in 2014. He died in May 2017.
The university is still seeking donations for both projects.
Last month, Toyota Motor Company pledged $200,000 toward the $1 million Jean Childs Young Intercultural Center. The university says it now has $780,000 on hand for the project and $6.5 million in hand or in pledges for the Chinworth Center.