Large scale construction appears to be in the near future for the St. John’s campus.

Decisions concerning space usage were made in the construction of the Flynntown Community Center. Approvals by the Board of Regents are also pending for more student apartments to be built for upperclassmen. Alcuin Library will also undergo a major expansion.

The Flynntown Community Center will be a student oriented, Assistant Dean of Students Mattie Hawley said.

“There are going to be some fairly different spaces in the builing,” Hawley said.

The building will consist of two stories with a basement. There will be student work space available on the top level, with study rooms that can be reserved by students. The ground level will consist of a dining room with a kitchen where students can prepare their own meals. The building will also house a faculty resident apartment, laundry facilities and possibly a computer lab.

Hawley said the basement will be left open to adjust to student needs.

“The basement is intended to be a transitional space,” she said. “They want the space to initially be as generic as possible to adapt to student trends.”

The center will be built in what is now the small parking lot behind the Seton apartments.

On the other side of campus, Alcuin Library will be receiving a substantial face lift. Decisions were made last spring to expand the building, Director of Libraries Kathy Parker said.

“We recognize that it’s a need for students to have different kinds of learning environments for the tasks before them,” Parker said.

Gregory Friesen of CSNA Architects is involved in the expansion and said they have developed a basic concept plan for the project.

“Alcuin Library will be revitalized and enriched by the introduction of color and new furnishings, opportunities for interaction and learning, and new resource technologies,” Friesen said via e-mail. Some new features that students will see are more study rooms, remodeling of the auditoria, and additional classrooms, he said.

The Hill Museum and Manuscript Library will also enjoy new facilities, and a coffee and snack shop will be added with the expansion.

Friesen said the new development will be unique because “activities will be visually linked by views to, from, between, and through the spaces, melding internal and external landscapes.”

The planning for this expansion is in the very early stages. Fundraising will determine when construction will actually begin, said Parker.

“My best guess is that we’re five years out from seeing the bulldozers show up,” she said.

Friesen said the unique atmosphere at Alcuin will enhance the appearance of the campus.

“Perhaps there will be but few experiences like it anywhere,” he said.

John F. O’Sullivan contributed to this story.