Huge Improvement

Well, we can't exactly say that SU is movin' on up to the Eastside. After all, the university-particularly the Albers School of Business and Economics-has had a presence there for more than 25 years. And yet the school's relocation to a new home in Bellevue is a big step up in the minds of many, Dean Joe Phillips of the Albers School most assuredly included. 

"This is very exciting news for Albers and SU," says Phillips. 

There's a lot to be excited about when it comes to the newly remodeled space into which Albers moved earlier this month. First, there's its location (200 112th Ave. NE). Just off I-405 and within walking distance of the Bellevue Transit Center, the site is significantly easier for students to access. There will also be more parking at the new site. The location, Phillips adds, also offers close proximity to major employers such as Puget Sound Energy, Microsoft, PACCAR and Symetra.

Then there's the space itself, which also offers improvements over its predecessor. While comparable in size to the former site-about 7,500 square feet-the new SU - Floor Plan w.Furniture provides "much better space utilization and furniture efficiency," says Steve De Bruhl, senior project manager in Facilities Services. "The space is ideally suited for a variety of teaching and learning styles and programs." 

Phillips seconds that. The new facility offered the opportunity to "start from scratch," he says. "It has been designed to meet our needs as opposed to fitting into a design that's already there that doesn't meet our needs. We've also been able to bake in the technology and (incorporate) furniture that is more appropriate to our ways of teaching." 

Here's what the new space encompasses: 

• Four classrooms that can seat anywhere from 30 to 36 students, with flexible table arrangements
• Two private group study spaces as well as generous group/break out coloration spaces
• 12-seat computer lab
• Break room with vending machine

Albers first established a presence in Bellevue in 1989, and today nearly 100 students are currently enrolled in courses taught at the Eastside location. While Albers continues to be the anchor Eastside campus, the university is hoping to offer programs from other colleges and schools at the location. Additionally, Conference and Event Services will be looking to utilize the space for other SU events. 

No matter how you look at it, Phillips says, the new facility is a "huge improvement."