The remodeling of Lupton Library into Lupton Hall is the largest construction project on campus in the past year.
As fall semester 2020 begins, several construction projects on campus are either finished, close to finishing or underway. Here is a rundown of them:
Lupton Hall
The largest job on campus has been the gutting and total renovation of Lupton Library into Lupton Hall, taking the 116,000 square foot former library and replacing all the building systems, including electrical, heating and air conditioning and lighting. Part of the building’s renovation also is rearranging its layout for general classrooms, offices and other spaces.
The first floor will house the Center for Women and Gender Equity and the Multicultural Center, improves a new healthy dining option and creates offices serving international students. Work is finishing up on this floor but still underway.
The second and third floors will be the new home for some departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. The third floor will house the Office of Dean Pam Riggs-Gelasco and the Math English Departments. The second floor with be home to the departments of Communications, Philosophy and Religion, Modern and Classical Language and Literature. It also will be the location of the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Hub. Move-in is almost complete for the two floors.
Cardiac Hill next to Lupton Hall is scheduled to reopen by the start of classes on the Aug. 17, so there should be no disruptions to pedestrian traffic.
Fletcher Hall
Home to the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, the building’s first phase of renovations included new interior finishes and furnishings and improvements to lighting, restrooms and facilities for students with disabilities.
Elevators and stairwells have been renovated. The second, third and fourth floors have been reconfigured for better efficiency and functionality.
Faculty have been moving in, and the building will be open for the start of classes on Aug. 17. Contractors are completing a few areas, but the work will not interfere with daily operations.
Fine Arts Center
Renovation of the Fine Arts Center is essentially completed, and it will be open for the fall semester. A few tasks are wrapping up, but improvements are finished on the Roland B. Hayes Concert Hall, Dorothy Hackett Ward Theater, George Ayers Cress Gallery of Art, general classrooms, offices and band space. Faculty and staff are moving back in while contractors finish details inside the concert halls and other secluded spaces.
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Located on the second floor of the James R. Mapp Building, the new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is designed for students across campus to use. Ready for fall semester, the center has a large central area known as “The Nest,” which is primarily designed for students to work and collaborate on their business ideas. The center also has a collaborative workshop area — known as a “makerspace” — that supplies equipment and technology for creative projects.
West Campus Pedestrian Way
Improvements provide a connection from the West Campus Housing parking garage to previously existing Vine Street and Boling Apartment sidewalks. The changes will make it easier for students in Boling to walk to dining and bookstore services inside West Campus. A new common area includes a hammock lounge, permanent chairs and tables for eating outside as well as new trees and flower beds.
Aquatic and Recreation Center
The center’s pool and water slide have been repainted, along with a Power C painted on the bottom of the pool. New colors also have been added to the walls and benches in the area.
In the Outdoors section, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, sleeping bags, tents and other items are now available. New bouldering wall mats are in place and a mural has been painted by a UTC student on one of the walls. Student-built furniture has been added and cabinets have been freshened with new covers. Trackers also are being placed on all the fitness equipment to record usage patterns.
Roof Replacements
Routine roof work took place at the following buildings: Multi-Disciplinary, Metro and Military Science. Replacement work is currently underway at the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
McKenzie Arena
The sound system has been upgraded, replacing the analog equipment with state-of-the-art digital audio. The old system was designed for public announcements. The new system has a range of new audio equipment and can target specific “zones” of the arena with both public announcements and music.
Central Energy Plant
Work is underway on the Central Energy Plant underground lines at two locations: Lot 21 near Frist Hall and Lot 36 in between Davenport Hall and the Lawson Center. Both will take a few parking spaces and are part of continuing efforts to connect underground lines throughout campus.
540 McCallie Building
Retrofitting the fifth floor is on track to begin shortly. It will include new interior finishes and furnishings as well as upgrades to audiovisual equipment and overall technology. Improvements also will involve lighting, restrooms and facilities for students with disabilities.
New projects
Two upcoming projects are renovations to Hunter Hall and the construction of the Wofford Family Athletics Center, a 70,000-square-foot addition to McKenzie Arena. Both are in the planning stages with final designs now in the hands of architects.
It is such good news to learn that all these projects are moving forward! Onward and Upward!