CSC completes renovation projects, more to begin soon

Forty-eight suite-style rooms have been developed in Edna Work Hall, making it one of the finest student housing facilities in Nebraska. There’s a living room between the bedrooms, each of which includes a complete bathroom. Honor students will live in the hall. Although the room rental is 10 percent higher than in the other CSC residence halls, Melody Carnahan in the housing office said they were quickly spoken for when they were made available last spring.

The recent renovation was the first overhaul of the stately three-story structure since it was constructed in 1932. The Wing was added in 1959-60.

Numerous other renovation and construction projects at Chadron State College have been completed or are nearly complete as the new school year arrives. A sizable list of more projects has been composed for this fall.

“This has been one of the busiest summers we have had,” said Blair Brennan, coordinator of physical facilities. “We’ve had about 35 projects this summer while our usual number is about 25. Our maintenance crew has definitely been kept busy. We’ve also had several contractors helping with various projects.”

Several of the projects are designed to extend the usefulness of buildings and infrastructure on campus while others will beautify the campus or improve facilities.

Major projects that have been completed or will be by Monday, when classes begin, include:

--Renovation of the second floor on the west wing of Andrews Hall to include refurbishing the rest rooms and laying new carpeting and vinyl tile.

--Tuckpointing the exteriors of the Administration Building, the Math and Science Building, Burkhiser Technology Complex, Nelson Physical Technology Center and Memorial Hall.

--Establishing new computer laboratories and mediated classrooms in Hildreth Education Building and Memorial Hall and converting a computer lab into a mediated classroom in the Math and Science Building.

--Constructing a new half-mile hiking and biking trail behind Elliott Field that connects with the trail to the west that was built a year ago. Both trails are concrete.

--Street work to provide easier access to the High Rise for emergency vehicles, including the Chadron Volunteer Fire Department’s ladder truck.

--Repairing and resurfacing the parking areas for Kent Hall (Shelton Street), the Administration Building, the lots on the south edge of the campus and Chapin Street that runs through the east side of the campus have been completed. Chadron Avenue on the west side of the campus is also due to be resurfaced this week.

Work was begun this summer on the new softball field to the south of Burkhiser. The dirt work and laying of the pipe for the underground sprinkling system have been completed while masonry students at the Pine Ridge Job Corps will construct the clubhouse/concession stand/storage facility and the dugouts this fall. In addition, the fencing contract has been awarded, Brennan said.

One of the major projects this fall will be relocation of the weight room in the Armstrong Building to the balcony overlooking the volleyball/basketball court so additional offices for coaches can be placed in the old weight room.

Although considerable landscaping has already occurred this summer, Brennan said about 50 trees that have been grown in the college’s nursery will be transplanted on campus this fall.

In addition, the materials have been ordered to bring air-conditioning from the college’s wood-fired boiler plant to the Math and Science Building and the Burkhiser Complex. When completed, six major buildings on campus will be cooled by burning wood chips.

Underground sprinklers also will be placed along the west side of the campus this fall, Brennan said.

“We’ve made a lot of improvements and have more in the works,” said Brennan. “It’s all part of the effort to keep Chadron State functional and looking nice.”