Northwestern is planning to redesign Norris University Center’s East Lawn, the University announced Monday.

The makeover will be funded by two donations totaling $6 million, provided by two couples: Board of Trustees member Frank Cohen (Weinberg ’95) and his wife Julie Cohen, and Jana and Ken Kahn. Each couple donated $3 million to the project.

“I am thrilled by the launch of the East Lawn project, which was also very important to my predecessor, Morton Schapiro,” University President Michael Schill said in a news release. “The Cohen and Kahn families’ generosity will take this outdoor space to a whole new level and help shape the campus experience for students for many years to come.”

The East Lawn is an open field adjacent to Norris. Plans for its renovation currently include a plaza and a pavilion for events, an outdoor restaurant, locations for Compass Group food vendors, a game terrace and a lounge with views of the lagoon.

The lawn will be renamed after the Cohen family, while the pavilion and plaza will be named after the Kahn family. Construction is set to begin in summer 2023 and is projected to be completed the following summer. 

“With this exciting transformation, the new space will be the perfect place for our Northwestern community to connect, engage, relax and recharge,” Associate Vice President for Operations and Services Jeremy Schenk said in the news release. “We are excited to partner with current students in the project’s development, as we want to design both space and programs that work for them.”

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Twitter: @GiangiulioDavis

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