DURHAM, NC — Balfour Beatty, in joint venture with Holt Brothers and Structure Building Company, formally celebrated the grand opening of North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) Student Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony with Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D., Chancellor of NCCU, NCCU Board of Trustees, and community partners.

The completion of the NCCU’s new $55-million student center facility is an integral step toward meeting the school’s current and future needs in alignment with many of its strategic priorities, including retention and graduation; enhancing academic distinction and distinctiveness; community engagement; and teaching, learning, and research.

Balfour Beatty and partners delivered a new 100,230-square-foot, fully functional student center that replaces the functions in the existing Alphonso Elder Student Union. The new facility features a large multi-purpose, flexible gathering space seating up to 1,100 for conferences and banquets, small- and medium-sized conference rooms, administrative offices for student union operations, and office space for student organizations. Additional facilities provide food services, public computer stations, and student convenience needs.

“Watching NCCU’s student center come to life has been a rewarding experience as we continue to broaden Balfour Beatty’s footprint on the university’s campus,” said Zach Hall, Balfour Beatty Project Executive in North Carolina. “It is an honor to be entrusted to achieve our client’s building goals in providing an educational learning space that will continue to nurture the bright minds of future leaders across our community and beyond."

Walter Lennon served as primary Project Manager for NCCU, while Joshua Frey served as secondary Project Manager.