University Center Tower

The most talked-about feature of University Center East is its architecturally distinctive centerpiece: a 97-foot-tall conical tower.

The tower is clad in locally sourced Indiana limestone from B.G. Hoadley Quarries in Bloomington, Indiana. The company typically removes limestone from its quarry in four-foot by four-foot by eight-foot blocks. The outside faces of the blocks are rough and irregular, and are usually discarded. About 28 tons of this material was cut into 2-¼-inch high pieces of varying length. The quarry surfaces of these limestone pieces form the exterior walls of the tower.

On the ground level, the interior of the tower features additional seating for dining from UC East's two restaurants, Cyclone Salads and Salsa Rico. The second level houses Traditions Lounge with a dramatic ceiling open to the top of the tower.

"The tower has a practical virtue, of course, in that it makes the UC easy to find for first-time and infrequent visitors to campus," said Mark Rozewski, vice president for Finance and Administration. "Beyond that, though, it is meant to be an iconic design element that will, over time, be a key part of what one remembers about USI."

At the topping off ceremony for UC East in 2009, USI graphic arts students shared whimsical interpretations of the tower, often referred to by students as "The Cone," including depictions of the structure as a bottle of Ski Soda (a local favorite), a corn cob, candy corn, a Santa hat, and a slice of pizza pie.

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