Dignitaries break ground on the University’s Welcome Centre.Dignitaries break ground on the University’s Welcome Centre: UWindsor president Alan Wildeman, vice-president planning and administration Sandra Aversa, associate Doron Meinhard of Hariri Pontarini Architects, and Amico Design Build vice-president Cindy Prince and general manager Greg Geml.

Work underway on Welcome Centre construction

Near-record cold temperatures Wednesday couldn’t stop the University of Windsor from breaking ground on its Welcome Centre, now under construction at the corner of Wyandotte and Patricia streets.

Despite an unseasonable dusting of snow, a crew traced the building’s distinctive serpentine outline on the ground and invited dignitaries and guests to step inside for a quick ceremony to mark the occasion.

The 18,000 square foot, $8.4 million building is slated to open in summer 2015, and will house the offices of Student Admissions and Recruitment, Alumni Affairs and Donor Communications, the University Campaign, Public Affairs and Communications, and Alumni and Donor Records.

Staff representing each of those areas took up locations inside the building’s footprint for a unique overhead video shot by film professor Min Bae from an aerial drone hovering above the site.

Find more information about the Welcome Centre, including architectural renderings of the unique ribbon-shaped white glass enclosure, on the project website.