Within the next two weeks, the Simmons Great Hall, Northslope Apartments and the C.A.R.E. clinic will be gaining new and noticeable advancements.
The Great Hall is projected to be completed on June 28. Steve Beers, vice president for student development, said that within the next two weeks drywall, masonry and enclosure of the front door atrium will be completed, as well as a start on the H-VAC, which will allow the addition to start being heated and air conditioned.
Along with all of the changes to the area downstairs, changes will be taking place upstairs as well.
“We are also working on remodeling the [Administrative Dining Room],” said Steve Brankle, director of facilities services. “This will include turning the current ADR space into offices. We will also be remodeling the area outside the registrar’s office to match the finishing of the great hall.”
Brankle added that these changes will be completed by early July.
Brankle said a “facelift” will be completed in the current cafeteria area before school starts in the fall, including adding a taqueria, a Mongolian grill and minor remodeling as well as a second drink station added to the Great Hall.
“We have been working with the new food service provider,” Brankle said. “They’ve had a lot of input in what we are adding to the caf.”
The Northslope Apartments, which will be completed at the end of May, will also be gaining some noticeable changes within the next two weeks including the finishing of brick work, sheet rock inside, taping and floating and external siding.
In addition, the apartments will also be receiving new kitchen tables and chairs, couches, dishwashers and stoves.
“The beds and desks for the apartments next year will be borrowed from J. Alvin,” Beers said. “We are going to be testing the functionality of that type of furniture in the rooms. However, all of the furniture in J. Alvin has been bought new within the last 10 years.”
The C.A.R.E. clinic will have the foundation laid, flooring and framing started within the next two weeks, Beers said. The gravel will also be laid for the parking lot.
“They are building a play therapy area for the C.A.R.E. clinic,” Brankle explained. “It will include sand boxes and toys for the children to play with while grad students studying child play therapy can work with them.”
The projected end date for the C.A.R.E. clinic is late summer.
All projects will be completed before students return in the fall, and the next big project, which Brankle said is the renovation of J. Alvin, will be in full swing.