CIB ranked seventh of 50 buildings

This archived article was written by: Chris Barney

Come March 15, USU Eastern will be well on its way to a facial makeover. Knock on wood.
“Things are looking good, there is a level of understanding and support that is higher than it ever has been,” said Chancellor Joe Peterson, Tuesday. Significant lobbying to the Utah State Legislature has taken place on behalf of the new Central Instruction Building. Peterson, along with Stan L. Albrecht, President of USU Logan, made several trips to Capitol Hill, vying for state funds, a figure near $21.5 million.
The CIB, as it will be abbreviated, will feature a state-of-the-art glass exterior on the south side of the building, facing 400 North. Rustic metal and limestone will make up the remaining surfaces. From an onlooker’s perspective, the CIB (soon to be the largest building on USU Eastern’s campus) will appear to have three separate and distinct buildings inside its interior, each housing various departments.
Music and theater departments are to have their own sections within the CIB, as well as other auxiliaries, like The Eagle newspaper, criminal justice and arts departments. The building will feature flooring homogeneous with the pavement directly outside of the facility, allowing for an impressive transition and feel as students and faculty pass through campus.
Currently the CIB is ranked seventh of 50 buildings that have been proposed to the IGG (Department of Infrastructure and General Government). After presenting with President Albrecht, Peterson is pleased with the legislators’ reaction, “They all talked about how well the building was conceived.” Peterson believes the school will receive the necessary funding. “All signs are good, but I don’t want to jinx it, so I won’t say for sure.”
Method Studios, of Salt Lake City, designed the CIB under the direction of architect Joe Smith. “He is really a gifted guy,” said Peterson. Method also designed the fine arts buildings on the Snow College and Dixie State University campuses, both of which are “impressive.”