SC State to open Bulldog Den for student activities
The Bulldog Den will be an alternative student center while the Kirkland W. Green Student Center is undergoing renovation.
What used to be a machine shop is now the Bulldog Den. South Carolina State University is preparing the Bulldog Den just in time for the fall semester for students to congregate. Students are in for a treat.
The Bulldog Den is to give students that “relaxed feel” from a long day of classes as mental health is important to SC State. Students will gather here for many reasons, such as meetings, Campus Activities Board events and networking with peers.
“This is a good place for students to have their events because student activities are important to the collegiate experience as well as the classroom experience,” said Dr. Franklin Pressley, SC State executive director of student life and leadership. “It’s important for the students to have a place to go to call their own and build those lifelong friendships.”
SC State is establishing the Bulldog Den in part because the Kirkland W. Green Student Center is amid an extensive renovation project, which will be followed by an expansion.
The Bulldog Den will include:
- Common area
- Game room
- Computer room
- Conference room
- Patio/deck
- Wi-Fi
The Bulldog Den will be an alternative while the Student Center is undergoing renovation but will still be utilized by students after the work is completed.
“This will be a permanent fixture, but right now it will be a place for students to hang out,” said Ken Davis, SC State’s associate vice president for facilities. “I think with this deck, this place will be used for a long time.”
The Bulldog Den’s operating hours will range from 12-9 p.m. The venue will be open later if an event is held.
About the Student Center projects
Interior demolition for the $4.2 million Student Center renovation has been completed. Crews are installing interior infrastructure, including plumbing, and demolishing the roof for replacement.
The state-funded project includes upgrades to lighting, HVAC, windows, doors, life safety, and all finishes, as well as a new facade on the plaza side of the center and a video board on the Geathers Street side. Completion is expected in January 2025.
The remodeling job is scheduled to be completed in April 2025.
In a separate project that will follow the renovation, the state has allotted SC State an additional $20 million for a 30,000-square-foot upgrade to the Student Center, giving the university 62,000 square feet of modern space for student life activities. This project is in the design phase.