Elizabeth Vierkant – 

Changes are being made to several buildings on University of Wisconsin–Stout’s campus. Merle M. Price Commons, North Hall, and Bowman Hall are all currently under construction. Several of these projects began when students were off campus this summer.

Construction on Bowman Hall began late spring last semester and will continue through late 2019. Many changes have already been completed.

Mortar, a material placed between bricks to bind them, was removed from the south side of Bowman. This included the chimney and the Annex, a one-story part of the hall. Afterwards, new mortar was set.

The windows in Bowman will also be replaced. “New windows have been ordered for the entire building,” said UW–Stout’s Project Manager, Michael Bowman. “Planned arrival for the south facing windows is later this fall.”

Special bricks have been ordered for the distinct shapes needed. Repairs on the gutter system began on the south side of the building.

Other plans for Bowman Hall include outside historical preservation. All exterior mortar will be replaced. The interior of the Annex will be renovated. “[This] includes exposing some historical ceiling members, [and] installing new ceilings and new lighting,” Bowman said.

Construction on North Hall also began recently. “Complete demolition of the interior spaces of North Hall has commenced over the summer,” Bowman said. Work on this building is anticipated to finish in the summer of 2019.

Some changes to North Hall include new plumbing, new heating and air conditioning, and a new ventilation system. Work on electrical systems and fire suppression have also begun throughout the building.

New underground utilities have been placed outside of North Hall. Recent additions to the south and east sides of the building have also started. This construction is being worked on daily, including the addition of new interior walls.

Other plans for North Hall include renovating the entire building along with its mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression systems. There will be new bathrooms along with new windows, sidewalks, an accessible entrance on the lower level, and a new elevator. A second elevator will also be added.

Similar progress was made on Merle M. Price Commons throughout the summer. “The eastern two-thirds of the first floor has been demolished and is now being put back together,” Bowman said. “New mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems are being installed throughout the building.”

Fire suppression has been added to the second floor. It will be turned on once the first floor is completed. The patio on the west side of the Price Commons has been finished. There are new paths to the patio on the north side.

The process of adding new floors to the renovated areas has started. Soon, there will also be new windows installed on the first and second floors.

Other plans for Merle M. Price Commons includes renovating the entire first floor. Fire suppression will be built into the entire building. There will be new windows and entrances along with up-to-date heating, air conditioning, ventilation, electrical, and plumbing systems.

Construction on the Price Commons is expected to continue until the summer of 2019.

There are many groups involved in the construction of these three buildings. They include: the State of Wisconsin, UWStout, Mead Hunt Architecture, Isthmus Architecture, Ebert Construction, Building Restoration Corporation, BWBR Architects, V&S Construction, JF Ahern, Summit Companies, B&B Electric, RJ Jurowski Construction, JF Ahern, Halverson Brothers Plumbing and Heating, Van Ert Electric, and numerous subconsultants, subcontractors and suppliers.

When asked about future construction projects, Bowman said, “On a campus our size and with the complexity and age of our buildings, there are always numerous future projects in the works that will allow us to better serve our students.”

Renovation of South Hall has been presented to the State of Wisconsin and is being considered by the Governor and State Legislators. Plans for other renovations are still in the creation stages.

 

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