The Pride Center renovation was completed on June 28 as one and a half years of construction finally came to a close.
In July, the Pride Center plans to begin moving into the building and getting it ready for its grand opening in October, according to Eric Beeler, Oregon State University director of operations.
The original Pride Center opened in October 2004, marking the grand opening of the new Pride Center on its 20th anniversary.
The project had an original budget of $3,265,000. According to Beeler, this budget has not changed.
The center moved to its temporary home in the Student Experience Center in August 2022 and the construction crew broke ground in January 2023. The project was set to be completed in November 2023; however, due to delays, the project was pushed back to March 2024 and finally delayed to June 2024.
Some of the changes made to the building were the addition of a grand gathering room, kitchen, gender inclusive bathrooms, a washing machine and a dryer.
Currently, the Pride Center is in the SEC in room 112. While this room was a bigger space than the previous Pride Center, there was only one room for the entirety of the center to operate from.
Cindy Konrad, Pride Center director, was not immediately available for an interview, but has previously told the Daily Barometer that there were concerns from students about not wanting to go the central SEC location due to not being completely out about their LGBTQ+ identity.
Konrad also previously mentioned that the renovations to this building were necessary in order to do meetings, hold events and have activities for the members of the club. “The renovation will reconfigure and expand the Pride Center to extend the useful life of the building, meet program needs and allow for additional capacity,” according to the renovation project informational brochure.
During the final week before the project was finished, the construction was mostly touch-ups, punch list items and final finishing details, according to Beeler.
That week, the project team was waiting on the landscape contractor to complete several outstanding tasks. The fire alarm system also needed an additional component installation and final programming.
According to the renovation project brochure, any of the new finishes in the Pride Center are designed by the upper-level College of Business interior design team.
More information about the Pride Center can be found online or at their current space in the SEC until they fully move into the newly renovated building.
“The Pride Center plays an important role at Oregon State University by supporting and providing space for LGBTQIA2S+ students to gather in community,” reads the renovation project brochure.
