CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Reassured by a timeline for raising the necessary $10 million, a Charleston agency gave West Virginia State University two more years to start construction on its proposed downtown media center.

A bevy of WVSU officials led by President Hazo Carter, Vice President John Berry and Jonathan Adler, interim assistant vice president, appeared before the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority Wednesday morning to discuss the long-awaited project. CURA board members first offered to give WVSU a lot at the southwest corner of Capitol and Smith streets in December 2006.

Disappointed by continuing delays with the project, CURA board members in June told Berry to come back this month with more specific information about fundraising plans.

"They gave us a very specific timeline," CURA director Pat Brown said. "The board was very much impressed."

Adler said Berry will lead a new steering committee that includes Barbara Ladner, who replaced David Wohl as dean of arts and humanities; Jessica Carter, a part-time fundraiser; and Amanda Downs, a prospect researcher.

Although the project has been on the drawing board for nearly four years, no money has been raised yet, Adler said. "If we had any now we would have showed that to the board.

"We're looking at public sources -- federal, state, local -- various grants that are available." The group will also approach private individuals and area foundations, and seek collaborations with groups like West Virginia Public Broadcasting, he said.

WVSU officials met last month with architect Jody Driggs of Silling Associates to pare down the 24,500-square foot building to keep its cost under $10 million. They cut about 3,000 square feet.

"We looked at the original design," Driggs said. "It had a lot of socialization, public gathering space where unstructured learning opportunities could happen. There was a large two-story atrium in the middle of the building. We found we can have a smaller, more efficient atrium." They also trimmed back some faculty office space, he said.

School officials will give CURA progress reports every six months, starting in February 2011, Brown said.

"My impression is they are very serious about it now," he said. "It will be such a great project for downtown. It's been a long time and the board was frustrated before."

In other business, CURA board members approved a request by Charleston Area Alliance Vice President Mike Aeiker to paint the building wall behind the new Mary Price Ratrie Greenspace a dark purple "eggplant" color.

The cost of the painting will be split between the Bayard Trust, which owns the building, and a facade grant from East End Main Street. The color was chosen by Mike Gioulis, a consultant to the state Main Street program, Brown said.

Reach Jim Balow at ba...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5102.