Renovation of a mixed-use development in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Completed plans call for the renovation of a educational facility.

*As of August 31, 2022, this project has been awareded. Renovations will begin first quarter 2023. Soliciting responses from qualified firms to provide general contractor construction management services for the Mullins Library renovation floors 1 and 2. Board of Trustees selection announced January 27 contract negotiations February 2022 design starts March 2022 asbestos abatement starts December 2022 construction starts April 2023 project complete June 2024 If you have urgent questions, you can send them via email to ggalbra@uark.edu. The method of contractor selection has not been determined at this time. The total project cost is currently estimated from $35.5-41.5 million *The value for this project is based on a financial range. The value is listed as the highest possible cost from the range provided by a stakeholder or official project document. Mullins Library opened in 1968 as the new home of the university's main library collection, replacing Vol Walker Library, which was later adapted for the School of Architecture. The building was designed to accommodate all of the spaces typically associated at the time with an academic library. Rather than the closed stacks of the previous library, this meant browsable collection in open stacks, and mor informal--but still quiet--study spaces. Aside from the main book collection and a variety of open study spaces, the building housed Special Collections, the Audiovisual Department, Maps, staff offices, private study carrels, and back-of-house functions. The building served the campus community for many years in its original configuration, but due to continued growth of the collection and need for more study space, it was significantly expanded in 1997. The expansion included two large formal reading rooms and space for around ten-years' growth of the collection As the library again reached full capacity in 2008, the university engaged an academic library expert to evaluate the future of the building, particularly in light of the emergence of digital media and associated changes in academic culture. The plan completed in 2009 envisioned a reorganized interior that would de-emphasize the physical collection, and instead create a collaborative and interdisciplinary learning space focused on student and faculty engagement. To do this, the 2009 plan called for most of the collection to be housed in a high-density storage space. This would allow the building to be opened up, and the spaces to be rearranged to create more meaningful relationships among the various departments. While the 2009 plan was not implemented, it did lead to further study of a remote storage building to house the infrequently-accessed portion of the collection. The university moved forward with design ofthe Library Annex in 2015, and construction was complete in mid-2018. The move in 2018 of the bulk ofthe collections from the third and fourth floors of Mullins Library into the Library Annex allowed the university to close those floors for renovation. After two years of planning 1, construction began in mid2020 and was complete for fall 2021 classes. The new third and fourth floor spaces are designed for studyand learning as first envisioned in the 2009 plan, along with a smaller browsable collection and consolidated staff areas.