Students at the New College of Florida will have an exclusive hang-out place of their own.

The college has begun renovation of the plaza in front of the Jane Bancroft Cook Library, a facility it shares with the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. The grand pedestrian plaza was included in plans completed in 2011 for the academic centre next to the library.

A key component of the project is the construction of a new bell tower endorsed by Beverly Koski, one of Sarasota's leading philanthropists and community leaders- who has donated $400,000 for its construction.

"Where many of us went to college there was a bell tower and it usually was a prominent landmark (on the campus)," said John Martin, Vice president of Finance and Administration at New College, "and we wanted to give the students here the same experience."

He also added that the tower will become an iconic part of the campus that stretches from Sarasota Bay to east of U.S. 41, near University Parkway.

The 64-foot structure will be named after Koski and her late husband, Robert, co-founder of Sun Hydraulics.

The college administration, faculty and students are looking forward to the mid-October completion of the plaza and bell tower, reports Bradenton Herald.