New Five-Floor Building Will Break Ground Mid-February

Student Services at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus is moving into a new five-floor facility expected to break ground on Feb. 18.

The new building—The Academic Support Center (Building R)— will be located on the east side of the campus between building 9000 and parking lot nine. Some parking spaces will be removed to facilitate the new building.

The construction is planned to alleviate traffic in building 3000, according to Kendal l Campus Dean of Administration Gloria Baez.

The following departments are expected to move into Building R: Admissions, Registration, Bursar’s Office, Advisement, Financial Aid, Student Retention and Transition Services, the Dean of Students Office, the School of Business, and the Testing Department.

“The building is expected to respect the architecture of the campus while complimenting it at the same time, with a modern appeal,” Baez said.

Some question the importance of the new building.

“With the cuts in budget we seem to be facing, another building gets me a bit nervous,” said Irene Inatty, a MDC Honors College student. “I just don’t see another building as a pressing priority.”

The Academic Support Center is expected to cost $32.5 million. Funds for the building will be provided from the Physical EducationCapital Outlay and College Capital fund.

The new building is expected to be completed by Fall of 2013.

“When the Financial Aid office gets busy and the line overcrowds around the building it makes it difficult for others to commute by it,” said Zaida Clavijo a student assistant at the financial aid office.

“Hopefully this new building resolves our issue.”