Pictured Above: Davis Hall’s second floor was renovated this year, ahead of renovations of the first floor.
Baron Reichenbach | The Crow’s Nest
By Stephane Mathurin
Construction is set to begin this summer on Davis Hall’s first floor
According to Director of Facilities Jim Waechter, the renovation is long overdue.
“The building was constructed over 40 years ago, and all of the building interior is in need of renovation and updating,” Waechter said.
Current renovations plans will not interfere with any student or faculty needs, as many offices have relocated to the newly renovated second floor, and scheduled classes have been assigned to other buildings.
This project comes at a lower cost compared to last year’s second floor renovation at $1.1 million. The second floor renovation was budgeted $5 million.
The lower budget is partially because the renovation is aimed at fixes rather than a complete renewal.
“A large part of this project involves the replacement of the air conditioning system in the first floor to provide for better temperature and humidity control,” Waechter said.
As a building with a large number of classrooms it is unclear whether or not organizers and any other responsible parties have taken student concerns or input into consideration.
Design elements were chosen based on the input of faculty, staff and administration who will use the space in Davis Hall.“Based on that input, the design work was done by Renker-Eich-Parks Architects, who is one of our pre-qualified continuing services providers,” Waechter said.
There are no plans to expand the first floor or renovate the surrounding areas at this time.
