Campus construction to focus on aesthetics during summer semesters
IH-35 near the North Texas Blvd and Bonnie Brae St exit.
Adalberto Toledo | Staff Writer
Construction crews are set to continue mostly aesthetic work on the UNT campus this summer while a majority of students are away from campus.
With the University Union now complete and as the university moves further into its master plan, the familiar sounds of drills and hammers will continue to be heard.
David Reynolds, associate vice president of facilities. File Photo
“There’s over 65 projects going on on campus this summer,” associate vice president of facilities David Reynolds said. “That’s from interior renovations of dorms, to roof repairs, mechanical systems and other small remodeling jobs. It’s a very busy summer.”
The bigger projects include renovations to the Language Building courtyard, facade renovations to the research building, and interior work and renovations to Mozart and Bruce Halls.
Language Building
The language building is set to receive a new courtyard that will open up and face businesses on Fry Street by the end of the summer.
“We’re going to be replacing a lot of the concrete around the building,” Reynolds said. “We’re working on some drainage around the building and water infiltration issues.”
Construction is set to remain inside the current fences around the Language building and should not affect access. Some work may be done to the north side of the building, which faces Voertman’s and Big Mike’s Coffee, and fencing will change accordingly.
“There’s also going to be different landscaping around the area,” Reynolds said. “The whole point is really to give that area a facelift.”
Research building
Through January 2017, the Research Building will have two projects going on.
Exterior work to the facade of the building will finish by July, according to Reynolds, but the inside renovations on the first and second floors will not be finished until January.
Super Pit
Reynolds said it’s challenging to set out a schedule to renovate the Super Pit because it gets so much activity year-round, including everything from camps to visiting groups and orientation. Still, he said renovations are necessary.
“We really just want to kind of freshen it up in there,” Reynolds said. “Right now it looks pretty tired.”
The Super Pit / Coliseum – 600 Avenue D. Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor
He said the project hasn’t entered the design phase yet, but he still has a vision for the upgrades at the home of Mean Green basketball.
“The plan is to redo the concourse area around the building on the inside, where the concession stands are and the bathrooms, and give it a nice Mean Green appearance,” Reynolds said.
He said it is still too early to tell whether construction will disrupt the basketball schedule.
Residence Halls
Renovation crews have walked up an down the hallways of Bruce Hall for the past two summers due to renovations being done on the third and fourth floors.
This summer, updates to Bruce will complete with final renovations in the first and second floors, while Mozart and Clark are to receive some upgrades as well.
Clark Hall -1717 Maple Street. File Photo
“We’re doing some really nice things in the residence halls,” Reynolds said. “We have further renovations to Bruce Hall, some minor touches in Mozart and a new bakery project in Clark Hall.”
Walkway
The controversial walkway, which will run from the Gateway Center to Hurley, was set out in the 2002 campus master plan but will not break ground until the late summer months, possibly not even until the fall semester.
Students have voiced their concerns with the pathway, which would eliminate 86 parking spaces from the Clark Hall parking lot with no plans to develop new parking lots or parking structures.
Other Projects
There is no set plan yet as to the renovations to the former Sack n’ Save building on Avenue C and Interstate 35E, but Reynolds said a design is in the process of being created.
IH-35 construction near Bonnie Brae St. and North Texas Blvd. Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor
Reynolds does not expect any work to be done to the building until the fall and said a lot of the work depends on the expansion of I-35. He said construction crews will also deal with smaller projects, such as roof repair, mechanical and electrical updates and other small remodeling jobs.
“It’s going to be a very busy summer for the crews,” Reynolds said.
Featured Image: IH-35 construction near Bonnie Brae St. and North Texas Blvd. Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor
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