The Physical Plant is working on and has completed many renovations to the campus during the past few months, and there’s more to come in the months ahead.
Although most of the renovations planned aren’t going to begin until after graduation this spring, there are a couple that either have started or will be starting soon.
Renovations planned for this semester are installing a fall protection system in the theater for the people handling the lighting during the productions.
The Physical Plant has plans to start construction of a storage building behind the Service Building for their equipment, and they are installing a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
Jim Wolfe, director of Physical Plant, said those project were the only ones they had until graduation.
“We don’t do a lot while classes are going on because we don’t have as much access to classrooms compared to summer,” Wolfe said.
One of the bigger renovations that is being done after graduation is the replacement of doors and windows in University Center and Hillside Hall.
“I think this is the biggest renovation going on because faculty and staff will have to vacate their offices for about a week so the repairs can be completed,” Wolfe said.
Another thing that the Physical Plant is going to be doing soon is renovating and enlarging the Food Court and The Commons.
The final project that has been approved right now is the renovation of labs in the Physical Sciences Building, rooms 206, 208 and 210.
“I think the labs need it the most,” Justin Schladen, English freshman, said. “They just aren’t up to par compared to other universities.”
Another renovation that has yet to be approved by Chancellor Sandra Patterson-Randles is the repainting of the Ogle Center.
“We are currently working on a color scheme for The Ogle Center,” Wolfe said, though the project is still pending approval. “We should have it done by the end of the summer.”
The Physical Plant has already completed a few other renovations in the past few months.
The repairs to Knobview Hall’s roof were completed with the exception of smoke hatches.
“Due to bankruptcy of the previous construction company, [the smoke hatches] sat outside for a while, and the bond company doesn’t think that we should use them,” Wolfe said.
The other recent completion of a renovation was the McCauley Nicolas building, which is the graduate student building in Jeffersonville. The Physical Plant painted the walls and doors along with fixing some of the lighting and replacing the carpet.
Another project that was finished last semester was the new sand volleyball court behind Knobview Hall.
The funding for the various upgrades and renovations that happen throughout the school year comes from different Repair and Rehabilitation funds.
By BRYAN JONES
Staff
jonesbry@umail.iu.edu