With the recently completed Cohen Student Union expansion plan, Cohen’s lawn project is in full effect and undergoing enhancements.
The Cohen Student Union opened its newly remodeled doors to students Feb. 2. The updates to the facility include conference-style rooms, multiple seating areas, an information booth, and a bright cobalt-blue staircase. And while this may seem like sufficient improvements, the ever-present cranes and hard hats remain steady at work.
That's because of Cohen’s lawn area is also getting a makeover, one that was started by former Student Government President Ryan Kaczynski and Vice President Jackson Chumbley.
Gianna Ihuoma, currently the Student Government president, said the project was initially planned as a restoration effort to get the lawn back to how it was. However, the former administration sought ways to make the lawn not just new, but also improved.
“It was kind of just like a path with some grass, and nobody used it,” she said. “This seemed like a great idea to help students be able to use the space more effectively.”
The lawn is set to feature new furniture, movie screens, food truck space, and more. Student Government plans for these implementations to boost the student community and the variety of programmable locations.
“You’re not going to only have Library Lawn to throw an event for your organization,” Ihuoma said. “It will be smaller, but it’ll also be a lot of foot traffic because everybody’s always in Cohen. It’ll make Cohen even more centralized.”
Students are also talking about both renovation projects. Lailah Lee, a freshman at FGCU, says she goes to Cohen every day to eat and meet friends. When it comes to the lawn project, she thinks it’s a great idea for community orientation.
“It’ll offer us space for all of the students to come together, enjoy each other, and meet new people,” she said.
Cohen’s finished lawn area will be revealed during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for both remodeling projects in March.
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