2008 Woodie Awards
Center changes
First Student Center renovations to be complete in April '09
Jay Sowers
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Bruce Morgan, director of the Student Center and Programs, said the construction started a month ago and would be done in two phases.
The first phase, which will begin next month, will involve taking the roof off of The Tally food court and raising it, Morgan said. Construction workers must cut a hole in the floor of the basement for the new foundation and footings to support the new roof.
The second phase, Morgan said, is the reconstruction of the main entrance and the landscaping that will surround that entrance.
Kevin Burke, director of University Communications, said the first phase was tentatively scheduled to be finished in April 2009, with the second phase following in spring 2010.
Workers for Messer Construction, out of Indianapolis, began demolition on The Tally about a month ago.
Student Center workers said they have been somewhat affected by the work being done around their offices.
Senior Jenilee May said she had already noticed fewer people coming to her desk at the Post Office on the first floor of the Student Center.
"It is getting a lot slower because people will walk in and can't find us, and they'll think the whole building is closed," May said. "People are having a little trouble, but it will pick up again once school starts."
The construction project has already forced Parking Services to move from a previous office in the Student Center to a location on College Avenue that was formerly occupied by the University Police Department.
May said there was some conversation of the Post Office moving to another location, but there has been no talk lately.
"They first thought they were going to move us to the basement for a while," May said, "but that's changing, and they're probably going to keep us here."
Mitch Isaacs, associate director of Student Life, whose office is also located in the Student Center, said he didn't know if construction would affect the number of students coming to the Student Life office.
"I think we'd probably be able to answer that question better once the students are here so we've see how it impacts students," Isaacs said. "You get a better sense when the students are here of what traffic will be like."
Morgan said students returning to campus would likely get used to the changes in and around the Student Center after their first few days on campus.
One change he mentioned is sure to be noticed by a large number of Ball State students.
"Because of the renovation project, we are moving Late Nite to Recreation Facilities," Morgan said.
Noting that Recreation Facilities, located in Irving Gym, is under construction, Morgan said the new location is temporary.
"Fall Semester we're going to be there," Morgan said. "We haven't really decided about the Spring Semester. That will depend on where the two projects are at."
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BSU
posted 8/22/08 @ 2:55 PM EST
Perhaps people will actually USE the Student Center once these renovations are complete.
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