Coastal Carolina University has received approval from the state of South Carolina to build a $29.8 million Library Learning Complex.
The complex will be built on the Conway, S.C., campus adjacent to Kimbel Library, which will undergo a $10 million renovation of its own.
Tentative completion date for the Library Learning Complex is fall 2023, and Kimbel renovations will begin thereafter with a scheduled completion date of late 2024.
The two-story, 64,000-square-foot Library Learning Complex will integrate student spaces and services with cutting-edge immersive technologies.
The first floor will feature a large makerspace, a virtual reality lab, data visualization, and individual studios for video/audio production. It will also feature a large, open study area for collaboration and socialization.
The second floor will house areas such as academic tutoring and student computing services. Additional group study rooms will be situated throughout the building.
"When Kimbel Library opened in 1977, it was designed to serve 1,400 students," says Daniel Ennis, the university's provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Even with subsequent expansions and renovations, it was never intended to serve more than 10,000 students. The new Library Learning Complex will immediately become one of the finest academic libraries in the state, and will provide students access to study spaces, enhanced academic support, and state-of-the art learning technologies.
YouTube video from Coastal Carolina:
