Student Center
The structure that once stood at 754 S. Wabash had been home to several lounges and clubs. In 1953, it was Eddie Foy’s Cocktail Lounge which closed in 1964. In 1976, the site was home to Blue Star Lounge and in 1989, the blues club Buddy Guys’ Legends was located in the building until 2010 when the club moved a few blocks down the street.
Columbia College Chicago razed the building and created a Papermaker’s Garden in its spot in 2010. The urban garden showcased for students the natural, sustainably grown fibers for papermaking, thus merging science, art, and the environment.
The Columbia College Chicago Student Center, a five-story 114,000 square-foot facility, officially in September 2019. It was built by the architectural and design firm Gensler who designed the space and it includes: a Maker Space, music practice rooms and a film-screening room, dining options, gender-neutral restrooms, a fitness center, a reflection room for meditation and prayer, and event spaces for meetings, performances, and receptions. Student employees manage activities, hospitality, and other administrative needs. .
Quick Facts
- Name: Student Center
- Other Names: Buddy Guy’s Legends, Papermaker's Garden
- Address: 754 South Wabash Avenue
- Size: 114,000 square feet
- Land Acquired by College: 1999
