News

Student Union renovations continue

 

As the semester starts up, the ongoing renovations to the Campbell Student Union are beginning to take
shape.
 
Over the summer, Associate Director of Student Life Sarah Velez said the contractors have poured
concrete for a new outdoor dining deck and completed the new middle staircase and ceiling fixtures
in the lobby, along with many projects on the third floor. These include a new stage and new dressing
rooms for the Social Hall, a new fireplace for the Fireside Lounge and the support structure of the
Assembly Hall.
 
The elevator located on the east side of the building has also been refurbished. The inside of the
elevator is lined with green padding, which Facilities Project Manager Mike Bonfante said is to protect
the new wood paneling until construction is completed.
 
Bonfante said he’s happy with the way work has progressed, but there have been some unforeseen
difficulties along the way. He said the vestibule at the main entrance sustained some water and salt
damage from years of use.
 
“With those sorts of things, you have to react on your feet and think about what’s the best thing to do
for the college,” he said. “Those are the things you encounter with buildings 50 and 60 years old.”
 
Moving forward, Velez said the contractors will be focusing on drywall and other cosmetic work, like
installing new televisions, lights and acoustical fixtures. She said the ATMs and Bengal Bucks machine
would be moved back into the lobby when it’s done as well.
 
Velez said all the noisy demolition work is done, and any other disturbances will be minor.
 
“The fourth floor may hear some drilling because they have to drill some things into the ceiling,
but even that will be pretty sporadic and absolutely nothing like what you heard at the end of last
semester,” she said.
 
The lobby of the Union is set to reopen by the end of October. Velez assured this would include
cleanup time and said it will be fully accessible to regular Bengal Pause activities and foot traffic.
 
“All the students will be able to be back in the warm Union before the snow flies,” she said.
Bonfante said the third floor renovations will take a little longer to complete, but will most likely be
done in January before the start of the spring semester. Until then, he said the staircases would remain
blocked off to the third floor for safety reasons.
 
Brian Alexander can be reached by email at alexander.record@live.com.