President Mark Putnam initiates campus entryway and signage project at Central College

PELLA — Central College is getting a makeover in the form of new signs and a grand plaza. To clearly delineate the entrances to the Central College campus, President Mark Putnam has initiated a project consisting of three brick-faced signs and one entryway plaza. Construction on the new entryway has already begun, and the project will be completed in time for the fall 2011 semester.

Two of the brick-faced signs will be placed at the corners of Independence and Broadway Streets and Broadway and University Streets. Each sign has a price tag of $125,000. Another, smaller brick-faced sign will be placed at the corner of University and West 4th Streets. This sign will cost $50,000. The entryway plaza, costing $500,000, will be located at the main entrance near Central Hall and the Graham Conference Center. In addition to the entryways, additional parking spaces are being developed south of University Street to help warmly welcome guests including prospective students, parents and alumni to campus.

“As people approach [the college] they begin to form opinions and views about who we are. We have a great opportunity in this brand new project to show just that,” said Putnam. “The centerpiece of our project is a plaza entrance that will bring people to Central Hall, Douwstra Auditorium and Graham Conference Center. As folks walk into the space, they’ll be greeted with a plaza that will be pleasing to the eye and also give people an opportunity to be together and interact. It will serve as Central’s front door to the campus.”

If you would like to help support this project, please contact the development office at 800-447-0287 or visit www.central.edu and click on the link to the project.

“It is a worthy investment to welcome people to Central College,” said Putnam.