After the renovations of Switzler and Tate halls, Gwynn Hall is the next target in the deferred campus renovations project.
According to the Campus Master Plan Update, “Plans to renovate Gwynn Hall for the College of Human and Environmental Sciences are in the beginning stages. Construction is slated to begin in summer 2013.”
“The university administration came to us and informed us that it would cost more to repair the building than to completely renovate it,” College of Human Environmental Sciences Dean Stephen Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen said the building was falling apart inside. Among the many problems are the electrical circuits, which could potentially pose a fire hazard in the building.
“It gets mold in the downstairs area, the roof leaks and we get water in basement,” Jorgensen said.
The renovation is expected to last about 15 to 16 months. The building will be closed during the renovation, and those currently working inside are unsure of where they will be relocated.
“We don’t know where we will be placed during the construction phase,” Jorgensen said.
According to the Campus Master Plan Update, the nearly $9 million project is campus funded and is similar to the Tate Hall renovation, as interior floors remain but infrastructure and life safety systems will be replaced.
Plans for the renovation aren’t exactly clear, Jorgensen said. The committee responsible for planning the renovation is still discussing what will be added into the new hall.
Jorgensen said one thing they know will be included in the renovation is a metabolic kitchen, called the Missouri University Nutritional Center for Health. The kitchen, or MUNCH as Jorgensen referred to it, will provide an opportunity for them to conduct research in the human nutrition program. Previously, they haven’t had a place to perform these studies.
“People who participate in these studies might be participating in research geared toward improving health, reducing cholesterol and reducing obesity,” Jorgensen said. “Since our child development lab is here, we are hoping there will be interaction with the children in the metabolic kitchen as well, maybe resulting in improving their eating habits.”
The new building will look nicer with new carpeting, windows and ceilings. It will accommodate more modernized classrooms and meeting spaces and more efficient conference rooms, Jorgensen said.
He said the renovations will add a new elevator, because the old elevator is unreliable. A second stairway will be installed to meet building codes for fires and emergencies.
It is interesting that the offices in the new building are going to be smaller, Jorgensen said.
“For example, my office is now 300 square feet, and my new office will be 200 square feet,” Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen said he believes it will be more efficient.
Because the UM System received less state funding in recent years, Campus Facilities spokeswoman Karlan Seville previously told The Maneater that without enough state funding, they are working with what they have.
“We could definitely improve the learning environment to bring it up to today’s standards,” Seville said in the article.
To cover the nearly $9 million estimated cost of the renovation, about $8 to $8.5 million will come from the campus and the rest will come from the College of Human Environmental Sciences, Jorgensen said.