Facility Services has been hard at work during the holiday break making improvements to campus, and students should notice some changes.
According to Emmett David, associate director for facility development, the construction on Hodges Hall now is complete. Beginning this semester, some departments currently located in Prescott, Allen and Hatcher Halls will be relocated to Hodges. The newly renovated building will house the College of Arts and Sciences as well as portions of the Manship School of Mass Communication.
The new Energy, Coast and Environment Building, located on Nicholson Extension adjacent to Campus Federal Credit Union, is nearing its anticipated completion date of Feb. 15. This state-of-the-art facility will house the School of the Coast and Environment as well as some Energy Programs units.
Students also may notice several trees have been cut down on Nicholson Extension. Fred Fellner, Facility Services assistant director, said these pine trees have been removed to make way for a parking lot for the ECE Building.
The new parking lot will be 125,000 square feet, with approximately 400 spaces. This lot still will be used for football gameday parking. In addition, the removed trees will be recycled and used for mulch, lumber, paper and other materials.
Fellner said no live oaks would be removed, and new red oak trees would be planted to further enhance the campus landscape.
In addition, David said a bid has been recommended for the new 150-person capacity child care center to be located on the corner of Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive. Construction on the center is slated to begin in early February, with an anticipated opening date of July 15.