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The University of New Mexico
The McKinnon Center for Management, UNM's most modern development and the latest addition to The School of Management. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/construction-photos.asp)

The McKinnon Center for Management, UNM’s most modern development and the latest addition to The School of Management. Source

Background

The McKinnon Center for Management is the staple of UNM’s northern edge of campus. The multi-story building was constructed as a replacement for the deteriorating Anderson School of Management building, and $5 million of the total $25.4 million funds were donated to UNM by Ian and Sonnet McKinnon. The building became accessible to students in the summer of 2018 after a year and a half of construction dating back to December 2016. The building adjacent to MCM previously known as the Graduate School of Management has now assumed the Anderson School of Management title. Together, these buildings make up the school of business at UNM.

Construction

MCM Blueprints, outlining the construction site. Notice the extension of the outline into UNM's campus and how limiting it made surrounding pathways. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/default.asp)

MCM Blueprints, outlining the construction site. Notice the extension of the outline into UNM’s campus and how limiting it made surrounding pathways. Source

Construction for the new management building began in December of 2016. The plan was to demolish the current west ASM building and erect the new one in its place rather than moving locations. This portion of campus proved to be an area where student traffic was at a high and having to shut the area down for construction limited mobility and created multiple detours of common routes. Buildings around this area included the Collaborative Teaching and Learning Building and the Economics building, as well as Hokona Hall. The northern edge of campus was gated off and prevented students from accessing these buildings without seeking an alternate route. These gates extended into campus as far as the CTLB.

The demolition of the West ASM building. The East ASM building was not included in the demolition but was definitely affected. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/construction-photos.asp)

The demolition of the West ASM building. The East ASM building was not included in the demolition but was definitely affected. Source

Removal of interior materials to be separated and recycled. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/construction-photos.asp)

Removal of interior materials to be separated and recycled. Source

Early morning construction while campus is empty. Crews worked long days to finish the construction in a timely manner in order to limit campus inaccessbibility as much as possible. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/construction-photos.asp)

Early morning construction while campus is empty. Crews worked long days to finish the construction in a timely manner in order to limit campus inaccessbibility as much as possible. Source

Side Effects

What was once a bustling area of students had now become a loud and distracting eyesore of a construction zone. Students with classes in surrounding buildings were met with a displeasing view when they looked out the window, and the sounds generated from construction were often so loud that they forced professors to cancel class. Nonetheless, crews worked long hours daily in order to complete the building as fast as possible, knowing that the constant disturbances were uncontrollable issues for the university.

Skeletal structure of MCM. The large construction zone created hazards and difficulties for students and staff who had classes in the surrounding buildings. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/building/construction-photos.asp)

Skeletal structure of MCM. The large construction zone created hazards and difficulties for students and staff who had classes in the surrounding buildings. Source

Not only was the surrounding area affected by construction, but classes offered by ASM had to be moved to both the Graduate School of Management building and the east ASM building, where classrooms were limited and professors had to adjust to their new classroom layouts. In addition, the progression of construction led to new boundaries being formed. At one point, students were forced to walk through fences around the entirety of the east ASM building just to get to their classrooms.

Completion

The Grand Opening of McKinnon Center for Management on March 15, 2018. The opening and final inspection of the building were completed just in time for UNM's fall semester. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/news/highlights/2018/05/mcm-ribbon-cutting.asp)

The Grand Opening of McKinnon Center for Management on March 15, 2018. The opening and final inspection of the building were completed just in time for UNM’s fall semester. Source

Much to the joy of professors and students alike, the construction of the McKinnon Center for Management was completed on March 15, 2018. The building would undergo further tests to make sure it was safe and secure. By May 11, the MCM was officially open. The grounds around the building were littered with benches, rock beds, and grassy patches, and the design of the building itself made it stand out well above the others in surrounding. The building is easily noticeable when standing on the street just north of it, as it is the largest and cleanest building on UNM’s northern campus.

MCM Today

The first semester that students were able to access the new extension of UNM's school of management. The area where the students are standing had previously been gated off for a year and a half. [_Source_](https://www.mgt.unm.edu/news/highlights/2018/05/mcm-ribbon-cutting.asp)

The first semester that students were able to access the new extension of UNM’s school of management. The area where the students are standing had previously been gated off for a year and a half. Source

After not even a year of being accessible to students at the time that this was written, the McKinnon Center for Management has already proved itself to be one of the most prominent buildings featured on UNM’s campus, as well as the most modern. The building also came with a new student drop-off zone, which only makes the area more easily accessible. MCM is forecasted to last about 50 years, and in that time it will continue to house an innovative business culture for students and staff.