UC San Diego Throws Party
for Dramatic New Campus Hub

May 6, 2008

By Christine Clark

Sunlit entrance of Price Center East

The dramatic expansion of the Price Center, hub of UC San Diego’s campus, will be unveiled at 11:30 a.m. May 12 with a formal dedication and celebration with free food, giveaways, prizes, music and dance performances. Initiated by students in 2003, the Price Center East addition features 175,000 square feet of expanded space to accommodate a grocery store, 10 study lounges, hair salon, student organization offices, expanded post office, additional meeting and event spaces and eight new restaurants.

The dynamic new structure has been designed to accommodate UC San Diego’s growing student population and bring new energy to the center of campus. The Price Center renovation and expansion project is leading the way toward the creation of a vibrant “downtown” space for the UC San Diego community to thrive, Paul Terzino, director of University Centers, said.

“The expansion will provide more and greater programming space to increase and improve evening and weekend activities,” he added. “It also will encourage greater community building by providing a large, centrally located facility to congregate, explore, study and share.”

The Price Center East Launch Party will include a dedication ceremony with speeches from UC San Diego officials Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs Steve Relyea and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue. In addition, students such as Associated Students newly-elected president Donna Bean and the University Centers Advisory Board chair Matthew Bright, will give remarks. Thurgood Marshall College junior Rob Corea will emcee the event.

Price Center East and West floor plan, level one.

Following the formal dedication, from noon to 3 p.m. students are invited to explore Price Center East and West, where they will have the opportunity to walk through the center and taste samples from the upcoming restaurants, such as Bombay Coast and Santorini Island Grill. Plaza Food Court restaurants, including Espresso Roma, Jamba Juice, Panda Express, Round Table Pizza, Rubio’s Baja Grill, Subway and Tacone Wraps will share free samples in the Plaza from 1 to 2 p.m.

“Students should attend the event to celebrate as a community and hear great speakers, get free food and explore the expansion,” Terzino said. “They also can see some great student entertainment, win prizes and above all have fun!

The re-vamped Sunshine Market will offer free fair-trade and organic products from Barefoot Roasters Coffee, frisbees and coffee coupons. The Sunshine Market was formerly located adjacent to the bookstore, but the much larger new location in Price Center East sells a wider variety of products, including canned goods, toiletries and other items. The store’s food selection also is expanded, and the market now sells sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit, vegetables and hot soup.

Students also are encouraged to explore the office spaces and student services throughout the building where they can visit the new homes of the office of Alumni Affairs, the Center of Student Involvement, Commuter Student Services, the Cross Cultural Center, Associate Students and several student organization offices.

Students study, eat and mingle in one of the new study rooms in Price Center East

Throughout the Price Center East Launch Party, UC San Diego students will showcase their artistic talents. Music from DJs and Vinylphiles will be played in the Atrium before the dedication ceremony from 11 to 11:30 a.m. And from noon to 1:45 p.m. there will be back-to-back performances in the Ballroom East by the UCSD Dance Team, the Tritones, Thai Khuong, Wushu and Ascension. In addition, student-produced visual art will be the center of the Undergraduate Arts Festival from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

A highlight of the new space is the addition of “The Loft,” a performance lounge and social crossroads that was conceptualized by University Events Office Director Martin Wollesen, in partnership with undergraduate and graduate students.  Although the venue won’t be fully operational until fall 2008, it will greatly enhance UC San Diego’s nightlife, Wollesen said.

The Loft’s eclectic interior was designed by Bells &Whistles, the design company behind San Diego hot spots such as the Mint Shoe Store in Hillcrest and Little Italy’s Starlight Lounge.

The Loft is adjacent to the 4,500-foot, two-story Price Center Ballroom East with a built-in stage and high-tech lights and sound system that will be completely up and running by June 1.

In addition, the Price Center East will feature the Triton Steps, a series of tall concrete steps that can be utilized as a seating space. Group study rooms and lounges equipped with computers are also in the building to make it easier for students to study.

Students walk in one of the tunnels that connect the Price Center West with Price Center East.

Price Center West already is a destination for 27,000 students and 14,000 faculty and staff. The Plaza Food Court, movie theatre, UCSD Bookstore, post office, daily events, and other retail services attract more than 20,000 people a day to the center. Those numbers are expected to increase as the expansion attracts more visitors.

For more information about the Price Center East Launch Party go to: http://getexcited.ucsd.edu/

Media Contacts:
Christine Clark, 858-534-7618
Pat JaCoby, 858-534-7404