Last Friday marked a signature event in the construction of the new Aztec Student Union. Roughly 60 truckloads of cement rolled onto campus to fill the first of four quadrants in the basement level of the student-funded building.

This was the first concrete pour since the demolition of Aztec Center on Aug. 8. The other quadrants will be filled this week for a total of 4,600 cubic yards of concrete. Associated Student executive officers and university officials were on site for the event.

A.S. Executive Vice President Darin Ruiz said students have reason to be excited about the construction taking place this week. “Students have been walking by for the past couple of months and just seeing a dirt yard. Now we’re really going to start seeing the building taking framework.”

Steel is scheduled to be erected in the spring.

Ruiz said students should be proud the building will receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum status upon completion. This is the highest rating the U.S. Green Building Council awards. An estimated 80 percent of materials from the old Aztec Center will be recycled and used in the new building. San Diego State will be the first university to construct a platinum-status student center in the California State University system.

The Aztec Student Union is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2013.

–Compiled by Contributor Edward Henderson