{{short description|University of Kentucky student activity center}} {{Independent sources|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox building | name = Gatton Student Center | image = File:2019-11-14 Gatton Student Center.jpg | caption = Gatton Student Center located on the University of Kentucky's campus in Lexington, Kentucky | image_size = 250px <!-- fixed size instead of user's default size --> | alternate_names = University of Kentucky Student Center | building_type = Student Union | address = University of Kentucky, 160, Ave of Champions, Lexington, KY 40508 | location_town = Lexington, KY | location_country = United States | embedded = }} The '''Gatton Student Center''' is a student activity center for meetings, conferences, meals, recreation, and shopping for students on the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington, Kentucky. The building houses University of Kentucky's student service offices, as well as many dining and recreational facilities. The original building was constructed in 1938 and remodeled in 2018.
== History == Before being renamed to "Gatton Student Center" in 2018, the original University of Kentucky's student center was completed in 1938; with renovation additions happening in 1963 and 1982.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.kykernel.com/news/so-excited-for-uk-s-new-alumni-gym-here-s/article_8a7f8f0c-8aae-11e8-afcd-dfae33cddb3b.html|title=Gatton Student Center|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> Beginning in 2014, the University of Kentucky Student Center would undergo a series of remodels and expansions resulting in the Gatton Student Center, a US$200 million, 330,000 square foot building.<ref name=":0" /> Construction of the Gatton Student Center was finalized in 2018, two years after its projected grand opening in 2016.<ref name=":0" /> The original 1938 ballroom and Great Hall, which feature wrought-iron rails and decorations made by UK engineering students in the campus forge, are being preserved. They were designed by architect Ernst Johnson; many other buildings designed by Johnson for the university have since been torn down and replaced.<ref name="BlackfordExpansion">{{cite news |last1=Blackford |first1=Linda |title=Portions of University of Kentucky student center demolished for expansion |url=https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/fayette-county/article44608824.html#storylink=cpy |accessdate=27 February 2019 |publisher=Herald-Leader |date=8 July 2015}}</ref>
The most recent renovation to the building, beginning in 2014, The Gatton Student Center was designed by Omni Architects company and Perkins + Will. Foodservice design was provided by Tipton Associates, APAC.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.omniarchitects.com/portfolio/uk-student-center.html|title=UKSC|website=www.omniarchitects.com|access-date=2018-11-28}}</ref>
=== The building ===
The Gatton Student Center is named after Bill Gatton, an alumnus of the University of Kentucky; he donated $20,000,000 to fund the project, so the building was named after him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://gatton.uky.edu/about-us/stay-connected/news/2018/mr-bill-gatton-honored-new-200-million-uk-student-center|title=Mr. Bill Gatton honored as new $200 million UK Student Center officially opens|date=2018-04-30|work=Gatton College of Business and Economics|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en}}</ref> It includes a dining hall,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lanereport.com/85460/2018/01/uk-student-center-opens-new-residential-dining-facility-champions-kitchen/|title=UK Student Center Opens New Residential Dining Facility Champions Kitchen|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=6 November 2018}}</ref> a 30,000 sq. ft bookstore<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/new-uk-bookstore-now-open|title=New UK Bookstore is the Academic, Social Hub of Campus|date=2018-04-30|work=UKNow|access-date=2018-11-29}}</ref> and an Apple Store.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kykernel.com/news/uk-bookstore-now-in-its-permanent-home-in-the-partially|title=UK Bookstore Now In Its Permanent Home|last=Childress|first=Rick|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=6 November 2018}}</ref> It also houses the Office of Student Organizations and Activities, the Center for Student Involvement, the Student Activities Board, the Student Government Association, the Center for Community Outreach, DanceBlue, the WRFL radio station, the Office of LGBTQ* Resources and the Martin Luther King Center.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kykernel.com/news/newly-renovated-student-center-to-contribute-to-sense-of-community/article_09c675d6-a56d-11e8-a9aa-bfff499b90ad.html|title=Newly renovated student center to contribute to sense of community at UK|last=Horsley|first=McKenna|work=The Kentucky Kernel|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en|archive-date=2020-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200331045038/http://www.kykernel.com/news/newly-renovated-student-center-to-contribute-to-sense-of-community/article_09c675d6-a56d-11e8-a9aa-bfff499b90ad.html|url-status=bot: unknown}} Archived 31 March 2020.</ref>
The Alumni Gym Fitness Center building was a basketball court from 1924 to 1950;<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.kykernel.com/news/so-excited-for-uk-s-new-alumni-gym-here-s/article_8a7f8f0c-8aae-11e8-afcd-dfae33cddb3b.html|title='So excited' for UK's new Alumni Gym? Here's what you need to know.|last=Eads|first=Jacob|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> it was remodeled in 1937 and again in 1982.<ref name=":1" /> It has over 200 pieces of exercise equipment.<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://www.uky.edu/gattonstudentcenter/}}
Category:University of Kentucky Category:1938 establishments in Kentucky