Multicultural Center project to get underway in CWU's Black Hall this winter

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University is designing a $6 million renovation of Black Hall, with goals to enhance space for multicultural programs and improve visibility and functionality for the College of Education and Professional Studies.

CWU’s design partner for the North Academic Complex, Opsis Architecture, is also leading the design portion of the Black Hall renovation project and held a series of meetings with CWU staff and faculty last spring.

The enlarged Diversity and Equity Center in Black Hall will almost double the size of the existing center, and it will provide spaces specifically designed for multicultural programs, such as kitchen space to share cultural foods, student organization spaces, a reflection room, and event spaces. ASCWU President Malik Cantu noted that he and his student government colleagues were actively involved in the planning for the Black Hall renovation.

“CWU students started the conversation through activism for marginalized voices, trying to ensure that those voices had a space they could call their own to help them in their educational journey,” he said, adding that students have been disappointed in the CWU administration and Board of Trustees for years due to a lack of progress on the initiative for a multicultural center.

“We are excited to finally see a step like this moving forward,” Cantu added. “While students will continue to advocate for more, we are grateful to see the work of many student leaders of past and present begin to come to fruition. We hope that the renovation of Black Hall will mark a new point of advancement, collaboration and service for students.”

Expanding the DEC will require relocation of some spaces currently occupied by CEPS departments. The project will relocate some CEPS spaces elsewhere in Black Hall. The design and planning teams will capitalize on the relocation of these spaces to provide better access and functionality to the CEPS spaces that are affected.

Opsis Architecture has involved student, faculty and staff representatives in the design phases through on campus workshops and online meetings. The design and construction document phases are nearly complete, while the construction phase is expected to last about one year.

Construction will be done in three phases, with some of the work scheduled to be completed during the current academic year. Other spaces will be available for use in fall 2025. Project managers expect the entire project will be completed by January 2026. 

“The need for a future Multicultural Center on the CWU campus is important to students and to the university,” Project Manager Lauren Loosveldt said. “We are excited to work alongside students and faculty to define the future vision for this space as the ‘home away from home’ students are seeking. We look forward to creating a design that captures a sense of belonging and welcomes current and future Wildcats to campus.”

    Remodeling of CWU's Black Hall will make it one of the largest Multi-Cultural Centers in the Western U.S.