DeKALB – The first phase of a $20 million renovation to Northern Illinois University's Holmes Student Center should begin soon, with construction to start in the summer or fall, university officials said.

The NIU Board of Trustees voted to go ahead with the project Thursday.

First, the university must seek bids for the work and award contracts to low bidders before any actual work begins.

After numerous meetings and conversations about the project, the design will focus on restructuring the ground- floor to improve the lounge areas and traffic flow, the reconfiguration of food and retail operations, opening up the south wall to the MLK Commons and the reintroduction of Student Association activities.

The center’s bookstore and retail outlet are expected to be relocated to the main floor while the work is underway, so students still can buy textbooks and NIU apparel.

The project will be funded entirely through Build America Bonds, which were sold several years ago for various construction projects.

To help ensure the project remains within the limits of the $20 million budget, about $1.2 million of improvements have been identified as optional bid items, which may or may not be included in the final project.

As part of the Holmes Center upgrades, the board also authorized the university to enter into franchise agreements for national brand coffee and food franchises for a period not to exceed 10 years.

The franchise licenses and estimated royalties are expected to cost $550,000 with the coffee agreement and $315,000 with the food agreement over the possible 10-year term.

The companies that will operate at the Holmes Center will be selected to best conform with a campuswide dining strategy intended to balance the best variety of food options across the university’s dining halls and retail food locations.

All necessary equipment and construction costs are included in the budget for the Holmes renovation.

Work is scheduled to begin on the Holmes Center is expected to finish by the fall of 2019.

In order to provide some of the food operations that will be shut down during the renovations, the Founders Library Cafe will also undergo its own renovations. This is scheduled to begin over winter break.