The hard-to-miss army of golf carts gathered outside Scott Hall over the past weeks are the result of the first of two major renovation projects the Facilities Department is working on.
Since losing its job as university library in 2006, Scott Hall has sat mostly empty despite its central location on campus. Though it has been used for Lu’au and Asian Day practices, a way has been found to better utilize the building’s space.
The remodeling of Scott and Price halls will accommodate the reorganization of existing groups on campus and the expansion of sciences as per Pacific President Lesley Hallick’s Vision 2020.
Much of the University Relations staff is planning to move from the third floor of Marsh Hall to the second floor of Scott Hall. Facilities staff is putting the finishing touches on new walls in the old library to allow for more private cubical areas.
According to Director of Facilities and Safety Management Harold Roark, this portion of the renovation project should be done by Monday, March 7.
From there, work is set to continue downstairs to prepare for the relocation of the optometry program’s Vision Performance Institute from Price Hall. Roark said the renovation of Scott Hall should be completed April 26 and both groups are expected to move in by May 1.
With the VPI’s current location on the first floor of Price Hall vacant, work will begin to prepare the space for other science programs. This last leg of the projects must be completed in the last week of August so classes can be held in the building for fall term.
Roark opted to complete the work in-house rather than spend half a million dollars contracting it out, which prompted the Feb. 7 announcement stating only urgent work requests would be processed until the projected completion date of the renovations, which is Aug. 31.
While doing the work themselves saves money, the time that the facilities staff must dedicate to the renovation takes away from time spent on normal requests.
Facilities only has so many people, Roark said, so priorities have to be carefully considered.
This doesn’t mean requests are not being accepted.
As of Feb. 28, “There has not been a single work request refused,” said Roark.
Facilities have responded to an average volume of inquiries, including a minor gas leak in the laundry room of McCormick Hall.
According to Work Control Coordinator Cindy Schuppert, the leak was repaired Feb. 28 and dryers are useable again.
The submission process hasn’t changed; requests must be given to Residence Life to be reviewed and then passed on to facilities.
As there is a certain amount of time necessary for processing and coordinating meetings, Roark encourages students to be patient with their requests.
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