NEWS RELEASE

March 1 , 2007

Contact: Ryan Entz, 268-1152

Friends University residence hall to be awarded April 17 at Honors Night 2007, presented by Artisan Surface Systems, a division of Wilson Building Maintenance Inc.

Wichita, KS- The Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce continues its long tradition of celebrating Wichita’s outstanding citizens, companies and achievements with Honors Night 2007. The 2007 honorees represent those who’ve championed efforts to improve the community.

Green Residence Hall at Friends University this year’s KEEPER OF THE PLAINS recipient. This award is given each year to recognize outstanding local architectural construction.

Green Residence Hall, located on the Friends campus right off of west Kellogg, was designed by Gossen Livingston Associates, Inc. and built by Conco Construction from March 2003-Aug. of 2004. It was developed with the intention of meeting students’ housing needs as well as to serve as the final step in a 10-year campus enhancement plan.

Green Hall certainly adds to the campus’ beauty, replacing two outdated dorm buildings as well as several homes in a state of disrepair. The building was designed to complement the view of the Davis Administration Building (the clock tower building), a landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

The hall consists of five connected modules that curve around a plaza area, and houses 192 students at maximum capacity. To the south of the hall is a water feature that faces Kellogg and helps draw attention to the 60,000 square foot facility. Friends University ensures that the building always looks its best, mowing on a weekly basis throughout the growing season and removing litter daily. More than 99,400 cars are estimated to pass by Green Hall on every day, and it serves as an aesthetically appealing beacon for both travelers and the citizens of Wichita.

Honors Night 2007 will be held Thursday, April 17 at Beech Activity Center, 9710 E. Central. Tickets are now available and include dinner, award recognition and a reception. The cost is $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight. Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner begins at 6:30.

To help honor Green Residence Hall and other outstanding honorees contact Cindy Reves at 265-7771 or creves@wichitachamber.org.

Requirements for Keeper of the Plains award include: aesthetic quality (includes landscaping and architectural design); improvement to the physical environment; visibility to the general public and easily seen by visitors; and a well-maintained appearance (clipping, mowing, painting, etc.). Each project is personally reviewed by the Keeper of the Plains committee and, if needed, experts such as architects, planners, landscape architects and other design professionals are consulted for guidance in determining the winner.

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