A $9.3 million refit of McDonald Residence Hall and a $4 million renovation of the
Falcon’s Nest in Bowen-Thompson Student Union are among projects approved Friday
by Bowling Green State University Trustees.
Across campus, a little over $2 million will be spent on upgrade projects for the
Kreischer Quadrangle residence hall.
McDonald has been the scene of both demolition and construction the past two summers,
first making room for The Oaks dining hall that open last August.
The latest work will begin in March with a phased upgrade of elevators. When classes
end in May, work will begin to convert two lounges to 22 new student rooms,
including two with ADA accessibility. Six more rooms off line since the
demolition will be renovated. There will be space for 762 students when classes
resume in August. Before the demo work, occupancy was 1,230 students.
There will also be electrical upgrades , exterior improvements, new entrances and
other changes to change the focus of the hall to North College Drive.
"McDonald will be a nicer place to live," said Steve Krakoff, associate
vice president of capital planning. "It won’t be a new building but it will
be a substantial improvement. I think it will become a requested place for
students to live."
Krakoff expects McDonald will remain in use at least 10 to 15 years. The work will
continue through the summer of 2013. It is likely the university will want to
close a portion of North College Drive on the east side of McDonald to improve
pedestrian safety.
In the Union there will be an expansion and renovation of the main food prep and
selection area, a change in brands for restaurant spaces, a rework of the Black
Swamp Pub to provide an "upscale" atmosphere during the day and a more
casual "pub" style for evening. The "back-of-house" area
will be renovated and a computer lab will be relocated.
About 3,000 square feet will be added to the "Nest" area by moving a TV
lounge and eliminating some group meeting spaces to the second floor where the
"Greenery" is now located. "We calculate a five-year payback on
this investment," Sheri Stoll, the university’s chief financial officer,
told the board.
Stoll said the Union will remain open offering as many services as possible. She said
there are at least eight reservations of the Grand Ballroom for wedding
receptions this summer. The work should be completed in 2013.
Renovations at Kreischer include smoke detectors, wireless network upgrades, security
cameras, emergency lighting, interior lighting upgrades and emergency
telephones.
Funding for the residence hall projects will come from 2010 bond proceeds, while the
Union renovation will be paid from the Dining Services Renewal and Replacement
Reserves.
Trustees also:
• Learned the actual cost of the Wolfe Center for the Arts will run about $10 million
less than projected, due to a good biding environment in 2009. The money, which
came from State Capital Improvement funds will be redirected to the next project
on the list, updates for the Health and Human Services Building. Stoll said if
that project does not use all of the funds, the money continues down the
priority list. The building also houses the Student Health Center.
• Heard they will be asked to make a decision at their May meeting on moving ahead
with design, location and developing cost estimates for new fraternity and
sorority housing.
• Approved honorary degrees for Marin Alsop and Dr. Bernice Sandler. Alsop is music
director of the Baltimore Symphony and Sandler is known as "the godmother
of Title IX."
• Named Dr. Timothy Fuerst, a distinguished research professor in economics. "I
am a better teacher, scholar and human being because of my last 19 years at
BGSU," he told the board after their action. Fuerst came to BGSU from
Northwestern.
• Approved a new licensing agreement with Blue Water Satellite. Developed by Dr.
Robert Vincent, the firm uses satellite imagery to locate toxic algae blooms in
bodies of water. Vincent told trustees the technology continues to become more
useful and predicted improved satellite technology and refinement help will grow
the business.