Classroom remodel aims to alleviate growing pains

Students will see some larger and remodeled classrooms starting at the end of next term, when Portland State’s Facilities and Planning Department begins a nine-month-long classroom-consolidation project.

Students will see some larger and remodeled classrooms starting at the end of next term, when Portland State’s Facilities and Planning Department begins a nine-month-long classroom-consolidation project.

The project, which has been in the planning stages for about six months, will combine 15 smaller-sized rooms into seven larger classrooms throughout the year, and remodel them with newer technologies, paint and whiteboards.

Two pairs of classrooms in Cramer Hall will undergo construction next term–rooms 259 and 269 and rooms 401 and 403, respectively–of which will be combined to form two larger classrooms. Construction work on the other classrooms scheduled to combine will begin later this year.

The project is a necessity for the growing university, said Francis McBride, the project lead and supervising architect for the facilities department.

“We have a need for some larger classrooms and higher-tech stuff,” he said.

Anne Bergelin, PSU’s space management analyst, agrees, saying that the university scheduling office is demanding a greater number of large classrooms because of the limited number of PSU classrooms that will accommodate many students, such as in Hoffmann Hall.

Enrollment at Portland State reached a record high of 24,999 students this year, a 2.9 percent increase from the enrollment figure from fall term 2006.

During construction, walls will be removed and, in some cases, ceiling tiles will be replaced, and new white boards and projector screens will be installed.

McBride said the university is trying to accomplish the classroom remodels by spending as little money as possible, but despite the thrifty project, he said students and staff should notice a pleasant difference when the construction is finished.

The project is budgeted at $330,000 and is scheduled to complete by the end of summer 2008, with a few classrooms being combined per term. There may be some noise, but in general, the construction shouldn’t be much of a distraction, McBride said.

“They are going to be spruced up. We’re taking care of all that stuff. These will look like nice new classrooms,” McBride said.

Classrooms that will combine this year:

Winter term:

Cramer Hall: Rooms 259 and 269Cramer Hall: Rooms 401 and 403

Spring term:

Neuberger Hall: Rooms 222 and 299Neuberger Hall: Rooms 348, 350 and 352

Summer term:

Neuberger Hall: Rooms 341 and 343Neuberger Hall: Rooms 377 and 381Neuberger Hall: Rooms 388 and 396

Information from supervising architect Francis McBride