The beginning of the 2013 spring semester at Bucks saw the opening of the 9,000 square foot James J. Linksz Pavilion, an area which has already proven to be immensely popular as a place for students to gather, relax and study.

The project has been underway for much longer than many students realize.

“A project like this takes about five years,” physical plant executive director Mark Grisi said.

Grisis went on to explain how James Linksz, former president of Bucks, pushed for the project to begin.

“It wasn’t necessarily about creating a student space; that was a byproduct,” said Grisi regarding how the project came around. The project connected the wellness and gymnasium to the Rollins Center while also fixing several structural issues with the building, he said.

The project was first started after a water pipe between the Rollins Center and gymnasium needed to be replaced. The project evolved in the design phase which saw the addition of the enclosure which became the student center it is today.

Phase one of the project included upgrades to the servers in Pemberton Hall; phase two featured the construction of the pavilion; and phase three will feature upgrades to the offices inside Pemberton Hall.

The project is roughly 95 percent complete with the Pemberton Hall office upgrades slated for completion sometime this spring. The renovations were greater needed as the offices  have yet to be touched since the 1980s, Grisi said.

Aside from the immense time investment, the project also took a large amount of money to complete. Grisi estimated that the entire project cost roughly $9 million to complete.

The obvious question from students is whether tuition will be funding the project?

The good news is that tuition will not be affected by this project. School renovation projects like these use separate funds, Grisi said. “Most of the funding came from bonds, loans and some state and county funding,” he said.

Grisi gave a much more detailed account of what the space will likely to be used for, noting that the back wall “will have a TV array on it, opening the space up for presentations.” The space also will “help with the overflow of graduation.”

Dealing with unknown building conditions such as disconnected lines and wiring and the lack of space for construction materials were the cause for the delay.

“(The project) was a little behind schedule, but (Bucks) was still allowed to open for the beginning of the spring 2013 semester.”

Unfortunately, the construction delay forced the pavilions namesake, Linksz, to miss the opening this spring. A formal ceremony honoring Linksz and his efforts to initiate the project will be scheduling as soon as renovations are complete, Grisi said.

While it is obvious that the staff involved with the project is proud of the finished pavilion, student reaction is also strong regarding the new space.

“(This is) much bigger than the fireside lounge, and it’s much easier to find a seat,” Andrew Baumher, 20, game design major from Doylestown said.

“I think it’s a great addition to the growing size of the campus and can serve as not only a place to meet up with friends but a wonderful place for quiet study,” Kyle Leighton, 19, business major from Fairless Hills said.

Clearly the new addition to Bucks is already a hit with students, staff and faculty.

“The only feedback I can see is that people are actually using it,” said Grisi regarding the feedback he has received regarding the new center.