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building is finished, we will be able to secure [the] gifts that we need to put the finishing touches on it,” Mellichamp said. Beck Design, an architectural firm based in Tulsa, Okla., was chosen as the architect for the project. “Beck Design … was already working with us on planning for a new music building, and I was impressed by their level of interest, not just in the project, but also in the college,” Mellichamp said. Mellichamp noted their outside experience will make the facility unique. “It might be a good thing [to have]
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an architect from outside this immediate area design the facility for us so that it really [doesn’t] look like something you might find on another college campus in north Georgia,” he said. The exterior of the Student Commons is designed to have a very modern look. According to Mellichamp, the complex will also feature digital signage throughout. “[The Student Commons] is going to be a signature facility, not just in the way it functions, but also in its visual attractiveness,” Mellichamp said. The building’s attractiveness will both recruit and retain students for Piedmont, Mellichamp said. “There will be a ‘wow factor’ for anybody who sees the Commons or goes into it.” he said. For current students, the new building’s impact will be “pretty dramatic,” Mellichamp said. “I think it’s going to have an enormous impact on the students who are here to help us keep them here.” “I believe [the Student Commons] is going to transform student life on campus in a very positive way,” he said. “[The grand opening] can’t happen soon enough.” ♦
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better option,” he said. When the new Student Commons opens, Nielsen Dining Hall will transform into academic space. Before construction began, Piedmont had to find a way to finance the $14 million project and choose an architect. The college took out a $10 million loan from Community Bank & Trust, which will pay about two-thirds of the project cost, Mellichamp said. Piedmont will pay back the loan over a 10-year period. “We took advantage of historicallylow interest rates,” Mellichamp said. “The college qualified for some tax-free bonds, which is a special category of a loan available for nonprofit institutions like Piedmont.” The remaining $4 million will come from outside donors. Mellichamp is working with Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John Misner, as well as Vice President for Advancement Amy Amason, to secure the additional funds. They are targeting both individuals and foundations in the fundraising effort. “I think we’re closing in on [the $4 million], and certainly, by the time the