Yates-Gill College Union opening ushers in a new era for campus community

Photo Album:  Tour the New Union!

The college community celebrates the opening of the newly remodeled and expanded Yates-Gill College Union. The $6 million project has added 15,000 square feet to what is now a 60,000-square-foot college union complex. A beautiful two-story glass atrium, new meeting and dining rooms and publicly accessible elevators all add to the increased functionality of the space. Wireless internet access, a new coffee shop and a renovated bookstore now enhance the building’s amenities for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Union Renovation Archive...

August 17, 2006: The Yates-Gill College Union is looking great with new furnishings arriving and the courtyard brick work nearing completion. Crews have been pouring concrete for most of the week. With students returning in the coming days, the College’s newest addition should be ready to welcome them back. (view image)

July 21, 2006: The Yates-Gill College Union is nearing completion. Crews are pouring the concrete for courtyard or plaza. They will finish the concrete next week and begin to install the brick pavers. The last major step toward completion of the interior will be the installation of the furniture. Some of the furniture has arrived and installation will begin the week of August 7. (view image)

June 23, 2006: Tile work is currently being completed in the atrium of the newly expanded Yates-Gill College Union. The granite and limestone tiles are in shades of warm gray and charcoal arranged in rectangular grid patterns near the entrance of the remodeled facility.  (view image)

June 15, 2006: Barnes & Noble completed the remodel of the campus bookstore on Friday, June 9. (view image)

June 8, 2006: The exterior work on the Yates-Gill College Union is nearing completion. The installation of the cast stone on the columns and porch of the main entrance was completed early this week. Work on the court-yard is accelerating now that the materials and equipment for the other stages of work have been removed. Inside, crews continue to work on the various finishing trades: laying tile flooring, installation of ceiling tiles and a variety of painting. The building is scheduled for occupancy in early August. (view image)

June 2, 2006: Progress on the Yates-Gill College Union continues on schedule. Most of the interior has been painted. Ceiling installation is nearly complete. Crews began installing the stone tile this week. The exterior work on the building is nearing completion as crews are putting the final touches on the cast stone on the east elevation. The scaffolding should be removed next week and site work for the courtyard will go into full-swing. Furnishings have been ordered. Delivery and installation is scheduled for the week of August 1. (view image)

May 26, 2006: Work on the interior and exterior continues. (view image)

May 18, 2006: Exterior work continues -- The installation of the cast stone on the east elevation is nearing completion. The columns are complete and crews are engaged in preparation for the installation of the stone on the parapet over the “front porch”. Next week, the temporary entrance will be removed this week and crews will begin the site work for the court yard that will connect the Yates-Gill Union to the Quad. Interior finishing work continues on schedule. The east dining hall is complete and was put to use this week during the Truman Scholars Leadership Week. (view image)

May 4, 2006: Masonry crews continue to work on the cast stone on the east (front) elevation of the building. Inside, sheetrock crews are over 75% complete. Work has been accelerated in the East Dining Hall. The ceiling, walls, and much of the flooring (tile) has been finished. With the installation of carpeting, the East Dining Hall will be virtually ready for occupancy. (view image)

April 13, 2006: Having recently completed all the trim work on the north and south elevations, crews removed the scaffolding to give the campus community a glimpse of the much anticipated “new union.” Crews are in the process of installing the cast stone on the east elevation (front) which should be complete by the end of the month. (view image)

April 6, 2006: The exterior shell of the addition to the Yates-Gill College Union is nearing completion. The north and south elevations are nearly complete. The east elevation is still lacking trim and masonry work. Drywall installation continues on the interior. (view image)

March 24, 2006: Crews took advantage of spring break this week. They worked on a lot of areas that transition from existing building to the addition, especially the transitions from the kitchen to the new East Dining Hall. Crews are busy hanging sheetrock, and most of the windows have been installed. Finishing touches are being made on the roof as we close out this week of construction. (view image)

March 18, 2006: The main flat roof is complete, with the front porch getting underway. Shingles at the mansard roof are scheduled to begin next week. Brick installation at the north elevation is ongoing. Cast stone installation on the east elevation to begin next week. Window installation began on March 14. Drywall installation in the second floor conference area began March 10. (view image)

March 2, 2006: Crews have worked most of the week installing the roofing materials. They are also constructing the new staircase adjacent to the dock on the north side of the building. The masonry on the south end of the addition is virtually complete. On the interior, some minor demolition is still in process. Installation of the duct work for the heat and air continues as well. (view image)

February 23, 2006: The Yates-Gill College Union continues to change virtually everyday. Masons are nearly finished with the brick on the south end of the addition. Carpenters are decking the roof. Inside the new addition, crews are framing steel for the ceiling and installing duct work for heating and air conditioning. Crews have also completed much of the demolition to what were once the exterior walls to the Union. (view image)

February 17, 2006: Masonry work has begun on the south side of the addition. Carpentry work on the roof continued this week. Inside, crews have installed the stair in the atrium (first to second floor) and the railings on the balcony. (view image)

Febuary 8, 2006: In preparation for the exterior masonry work, crews erected scaffolding on the south end of the addition to the Yates-Gill College Union. Carpentry work on the roof began this week as well. With the project progressing so well, Norm Boos gave tours to faculty, staff and a handful of students. Participants walked through the new addition to get a glimpse of coming attractions! (view image)

February 2, 2006: The new addition is really taking shape. The framing for exterior and interior walls is mostly complete. This week crews have been installing the steel roof decking and the exterior sheathing. Weather permitting, we expect the masonry work to begin around the middle of February. The installation of windows should begin the first week in March. By the first or second week of April, the exterior skin of the addition should be complete. (view image)

January 27, 2006: Construction crews have taken advantage of the wonderful weather. Most of the structural steel has been erected. They anticipate having the project enclosed and protected from the elements in a couple of weeks. (view image)

January 12, 2006: Crews poured the concrete for the second floor of the addition to the Yates-Gill Union. Meanwhile, construction of the exterior walls continues. (view image)

January 3, 2006: The foundation for the addition to the Yates-Gill Union was poured just before the Christmas Holiday. Contractors began erecting the structural steel between Christmas and New Years Day. (view image)

November 19, 2005: Construction on the new addition has been delayed a couple weeks while they relocate steam and sewer lines. We should see the drilling rig back on site shortly, drilling for holes for peers to support the foundation. The work on the main elevator is about ready to commence. The back stairway and upstairs restrooms should be opened by next week. (view image)

Gills make major gift to union renovation project

A major gift by Ray and Lucille Gill to William Jewell’s college union renovation project will help make the student union building a focal point of campus activities. In recognition of the gift, the Yates College Union building has been renamed the Yates-Gill Student Union.

“This project is a real labor of love for the Gills,” said Vice President for Advancement Dr. Chad Jolly, who noted that trustee emeritus Ray Gill recently celebrated his 20th year of service to the board . “It was important to the Gills that the Yates name remain on the building and that the Yates family give their blessing on this project.”

The existing facility, built in 1958, was named after William F. Yates, also a long-standing trustee at the college.  Mr. Yates was instrumental in bringing Gill on to the Jewell Board. 

New construction will add 15,000 square feet to the existing structure. “This project will make a big difference in the everyday life of the campus,” said President David Sallee. “And it will have a significant impact on the look and feel of the college, integrating the activity and life of the Quad with the Union.”

Along with the addition, renovations are also planned for much of the building, including construction of a coffee shop, new meeting spaces, a large two-story open foyer, publicly accessible elevators and a glass and columned façade fronting the Quad. The $4.8 million project began this summer and construction is expected to take about a year. Fundraising continues on the project.

“We are so grateful for the guidance and support that the Gills have provided to the college over the years,” Dr. Jolly added. “Along with Mr. and Mrs. Gill, the entire campus community is excited about what this beautiful addition and renovation will offer students for generations to come.”

Ray Gill is president of the Gill Grain Company in Henrietta, Mo. Ray and Lucille are the proud parents of two Jewell alums, John R. Gill ’79 and Christie J. White ’75. Their granddaughter, Emily Gill, and grandson, Kenneth White, are current Jewell students. A self-made man, Ray is passionate about supporting a quality liberal arts education and about developing a new generation of leaders for our changing world. Ray and Lucille are members of the Alexander Doniphan Heritage Society, the dedicated group of supporters who have included William Jewell as a part of their estate planning.