The UK campus has been undergoing changes in the last few months under several construction projects. 

Many of the projects have been focused around Memorial Hall, the Student Center and Lewis Hall. 

The Student Center is the anticipated and star of the projects taking place on campus. The new building is well underway and progress is being made daily. The Student Center is expected to have newly renovated Harris Grand Ballroom, Worsham Theatre and Cats Den, according to the Student Center’s website. 

The facilities are expected to shine in comparison to the latter center accommodations. The Student Center is a vital commodity to students as well as the faculty of UK. 

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The original student center was completed in 1938 with additions being added through the following years until the last was completed in 1982, according to the Student Center’s website. This Student Center will be the first completely reconstructed center on campus in the last seventy-eight years. History in the making is expected to be completed around January 2018. 

“Construction on the UK Student Center is progressing quite well – a majority of the structural steel work has been done.” said John Herbst, student services executive director. 

Memorial Hall is a treasure to campus and a hallmark for visiting UK.  

“We are restoring of the tower/cupola and also refinishing of some of the doors,” said Mary Vosevich, vice president for facilities management. 

The building was constructed in 1929 as a memorial for the veterans who died in World War I, according to the campus guide’s website. 

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Lewis Hall, located at the corner of University and Hilltop Drives, has been under construction as well for some time now.  The newly renovated project will be the Lewis Honors College. 

Last fall, UK alumnus Thomas W. Lewis and his family donated the single-largest gift in UK’s history, $23,500,000, the honors college, according to a February UKNOW article. 

Participation in the Honor’s Program grew from 750 to 1400 students within the last five years, UKNOW said. The honors college will be a five-story, 346 bed and LEED- silver certified student housing facility, the article said. 

Penny Cox, director of housing implementation and new strategies, said the hall will open in fall 2017.