BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Moravian University is leaning into its heritage in full force, officials said Friday during a hard-hat tour of its under-construction student center.
About a mile north of Moravian Church Settlements-Bethlehem, an internationally acclaimed UNESCO World Heritage site, lies the university’s new $45 million Haupert Union Building.
Nestled between John Makuvek Field and Priscilla Payne Hurd Academic Complex, the Main Street North Campus’ 70,000-square-foot, four-floor centerpiece dedicated to student wellness is set to open in the fall.
“We have designed this space to serve the whole student — supporting wellness, academic performance, career preparation and a strong sense of belonging in one unified space."Moravian University President Bryon Grigsby
“The HUB represents the future of student life at Moravian," University President Bryon Grigsby said.
"We have designed this space to serve the whole student —supporting wellness, academic performance, career preparation and a strong sense of belonging in one unified space.”
The facility will offer:
First floor: Combined Health and Counseling Center and other wellness areas.
Second floor: HUB desk, events management offices, Laurie Riley ‘82 Center for Career Success Suite, student organization suite with offices for University Student Government and Moravian Activities Council, Center for Inclusive Excellence lounge and office, food vendors, TVs and seating.
Third floor: Student Life Suite, Military Affairs & Services office and lounge, 24/7 Mo’s Cupboard, a student resource pantry, commuter lounge, multi-faith prayer room, wellness center and an outdoor terrace for views of Makuvek Field nearby.
Fourth floor: More terraces, boardroom, conference room and the piano from the original HUB.
Just 'part of what we do'
“The amount of seating areas and places for people to recharge and relax is really incredible,” said Michael Corr, executive director of public relations and communications for the university.
“It’s going to be an amazing showcase for prospective students and their families to kind of see the commitment to student experience here.”Michael Corr, Moravian University executive director of public relations and communications
“When prospective families come to visit Moravian, they're going to walk through here and see this as a showcase for everything that we're doing with our career strategies, and then they see the counseling center and then they see the commuter lounge.
“It’s going to be an amazing showcase for prospective students and their families to kind of see the commitment to student experience here.”
Moravian Vice President for Finance and Administration Mark Reed said, “We’ve been leaning into student health and student wellness as part of what we do.
“This building is just a living, breathing example of that.”
Reed spoke of the facility’s pre-certification through the International WELL Building Institute — a standard for measuring, certifying and monitoring the performance of building features that impact health and well-being, according to the institute.
Securing the certification later this year would make HUB the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley and among just two higher-education institutions in the state, joining the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in Philadelphia.
Covering the $45 million project cost has come through tax-exempt municipal bonds and fundraising. About $10 million of it has come from donations, Reed said.
The original HUB was the first student union building on any college campus statewide when it was built in 1962, according to Moravian.
At that time, it was known as the CUB, or College Union Building.
Current student needs demand an updated facility, officials said.
