The Neuberger Hall lobby is set to receive a face-lift shortly after finals are finished in June. Renovations are designed to address concerns with ADA compliance, improve aesthetics and make for smoother processes for students looking to register for classes or visit Financial Aid.
The construction is scheduled to last a little more than three months and should end before the beginning of fall term.
The project will focus on the lobby of Neuberger Hall; remodeling the areas where students line up to wait for service; and helping improve the operations of Financial Aid, Admissions and Registration, Transportation and Parking and Cashier’s Office.
An important part of the project will be to make the windows to services in the lobby more wheelchair-accessible by lowering them-making them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Campus officials said the inconvenience caused by construction will be relatively minor compared to that imposed by other construction projects around campus.
Kate Vance, small projects manager for facilities and planning, said the project is “small, but important.”
“This is a relatively small project by comparison to past projects on campus,” she said. During the remodel, asbestos will be removed from the lobby. Often found in vinyl floor tile and used for insulation, this hazardous material will be removed under the supervision of a third-party consultant to ensure safety measures are being followed, according to a facilities and planning document.
The project’s construction and administration costs are anticipated to total $495,000, which will be taken from repair and replacement reserves. Vance said the reserves were tapped because of student needs for a remodeled facility.
The plans for the project will follow PSU’s sustainability objectives by adhering to the campus’ green building procedures, Vance said.
“The general goal at facilities is to use green and sustainable practices so we are following our standards,” she said.
Another project scheduled to begin this summer will improve four to five classrooms around campus. Vance said these classroom improvements will include both a face-lift and an installation of up-to-date multimedia technologies.