PRAIRIE | Allie Renya
As a new century comes closer for West Texas A&M, the campus itself will be embracing changes to make it yet a better place for students and faculty. An estimated amount of $71 million worth of new construction projects have been brought forth and will soon be evident to everyone on campus.
The construction projects have been planned to update the campus and introduce a new face for the next 100 years.
First up on the agenda is the tearing down of the Old Fine Arts building. Within the next 30-40 days, after the building has been searched and salvaged of all useable materials, demolishing will begin. The sacrifice of this building is to help the ever-growing parking problem. Completion for this project is planned for Fall 2010.
The next project for the future campus will also begin this semester. WTAMU will begin the construction of the new recreational sports complex. Upon completion, this building will be home to softball and baseball diamonds, three intramural fields, a competitive soccer field within a track, as well as practice fields for soccer, football and the WT marching band. Along with these fields, it will include outdoor basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, tennis facilities, batting cages and a grand lawn. With all the different courts, fields and facilities upon completion, this will cost an estimated
$28.1 million and will be the largest groupings of synthetic athletic fields in the United States.
However, with the building of this new rec complex, parking will be an issue. East of Jarret Hall to the north of the former campus Wind Test Center will be completely redone.
Additional parking for students and faculty can be found between the cafeteria and the activities center as well as The First United Bank Center.
Shuttles will be running from 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. to help students out. Parking permits will also not be required at the FUBC at that time.
Continuing on with athletic buildings, the Virgil Henson Activities Center will also be going into phase IV of construction as a new 40-foot rock-climbing wall will be added to the front of the activities center. Construction will focus mainly on the first floor, as workers will redesign access to the workout areas for better monitoring, as well as the office located on the first floor.
Mary Moody Northen Hall will be an existing building on campus that will soon be getting a makeover on the inside. This 1970s building will be getting updated furnishings as well as new colors of paint on the inside to bring it up to date with this century.
Other smaller projects planned are renovations from six to eight laboratories in the Agricultural and Natural Sciences building and renovations of the Palo Duro Research Hospital. Additions to the JBK will be made also.
The last major project that will be affecting the campus will soon be the tearing down of Hudspeth Hall to make room for the new four-story residence hall. Jon Behrens, senior director of residential living recommends calling it “Centennial Hall.”
“This new dorm is being designed with underclassmen in mind and is massive,” said Behrens. Compared to Buff Hall, which is three stories and 66,000 square feet, this new hall will be four-stories and 95,000 square feet.
This co-ed dorm goes to the Board of Regents in May to be approved, and work will soon begin thereafter. Opening of the dorm is scheduled for Fall 2011. The Residential Living offices will also be housed in the dorm, but will be separated from the dorm living areas.
Housing 370 students, this new dorm will accompany the existing dorms on campus.
Construction will soon be happening all over campus to help bring a new face to WT for the next 100 years. Although this may be a hassle for students now, the new structures will bring a different atmosphere to the campus for many generations to come.