The south end of the Oklahoma Memorial Union will be closed today. It will remain closed for about one year, said Tom Ellis, director of the union.

The south entrance facing Buchanan Hall will not be accessible for the duration of the reconstruction.

"A temporary wall will be built and Bentley Hedges (Travel Service) and the Post Office will be the end of the hall," Ellis said.

Student Affairs has relocated to the second floor of the union. Greek Affairs and the Commuter Student Association has moved to Ellison Hall.

A barber shop on the first floor faces an uncertain future.

The OU Style Shop's lease expires at the end of June. Owner Don Genzer has been located in the union for 13 years, and said that an alternate location could not be found in the union for his shop. When the construction is complete, the decision to renew his lease will be up to OU President David Boren.

Crossroads Restaurant and Meacham Auditorium will undergo the heaviest reconstruction. Crossroads will have the east and south walls cut inhalf allowing it to be an open-air area. Meacham will undergo a complete transformation with new decorations. An elevator will be installed in the south end to come into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Asbestos removal, performed by Physical Plant, will continue for two more months and then the refurbishment will start.

Bids for the reconstruction from contractors are due September 28, and work is expected to start sometime in December.

$7.2 million has been set aside for the renovation, which is scheduled to be completed in September 1997.

While improvements in the union are mainly behind the walls, a noticeable improvement has been made to the OMU patio.

The OMU patio now has 20 new tables and 125 new chairs. Ten of those tables are complete with oversized umbrellas for protection from the elements.

"We try and give students a place to hang out," Ellis said. "Now, with more outdoor seating, students have a wider selection of places to sit."

The furniture replaces the eight-year-old weathered metal tables and chairs. The old patio furniture now lines the west entrance of the union.

"It is more enjoyable to sit on the patio now," said Narayan Dhakal, chemical engineering student. "The umbrellas are a savior from the sun."

Ellis said the union was constructed so the wind would be partially blocked from the patio. This allows for students to read or visit without being blown away.

"Also, the trees that surround the union act as a good noise filter," Ellis said.

Brooks Newton, OU finance graduate, said, "Since I'm a smoker and coffee drinker, it is nice to have a comfortable place to relax outside."

For more information on the closing, call 325-2121.
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