CSC projects nearing completion

Renovation of Edna Work Hall Wing and construction of a recreational trail through the southwest portion of the campus are almost complete. The residence hall renovation is providing 50 rooms that students will fill this fall.

“The Wing is really going to be nice,” said Ed Hoffman, vice president for administration. “It will be air-conditioned for the first time, the bathrooms will be entirely new and there will be more electrical outlets to meet the needs today’s technology. The project is putting a lot of life back into the building.”

Renovation of the original portion of Edna Work Hall will continue during the next 12 months, converting those rooms into suite-style accommodations. A living room will be located between each bedroom and each bedroom will have a private bathroom.

The air-conditioning for Work Wing this fall will come from the new absorption chiller that was installed last spring, allowing the college to use its wood-fired boiler to cool buildings. The new system has been cooling the Administration Building and the Miller Building this summer.

Hoffman said bids will be opened this week to tie the Reta King Library into the system this fall. Money is available to develop design documents to obtain estimates on extending the system to the Burkhiser Technology Complex and the Math and Science Building. Much of the funding for the $1.7 million project came from the Nebraska Task Force on Building Renewal.

The mile-long, eight-foot wide recreational trail that is winding through the Thompson Natural History Preserve to South Maple Street will be completed early in the school year. Hoffman said the pouring of the concrete should be completed this week, leaving only some landscaping to complete the project.

The college received a $270,569 transportation enhancement grant from the Nebraska Department of Roads to build the trail.

Hoffman added that the finishing touches are being placed on the renovation of the second floor of the south wing of Andrews Residence Hall. This is the fifth summer that a floor in one of the three wings in Andrews has been refurbished.

Physical improvements will continue to be made on campus this fall, Hoffman said. An extensive tuck-pointing project designed to help protect six brick buildings began last month on the south side of the Administration Building. It is expected to take 15 months to complete the work.

Other projects that recently have been completed or are underway include:

--Installation of an underground sprinkler system on the football practice field.

--Refurbishing the window frames and replacement of the window screens at Crites Hall.

--Improvement of the drainage and repair of the street at 10th and Chapin in cooperation with the City of Chadron.

--Installation of a fire protection sprinkler system in the Math and Science Building is about 80 percent complete.

Projects that are planned for the near future include:

--Installation of a new roof on the Nelson Physical Activity Center.

--Cleaning of the bricks, repainting the metal and adjusting the sound system on the Lindeken Clock Tower

--Replacing the heating coils in the Armstrong Gymnasium.

--Installing underground sprinklers on the intramural field.