The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Brief: UI outlines renovation plans

Board+of+Regents+members+gather+in+the+IMU+Main+Lounge+on+Wed.+March+11%2C+2015.+The+State+of+Iowa+Board+of+Regents+meet+to+discuss+the+future+of+universities+in+Iowa.+%28The+Daily+Iowan%2FCourtney+Hawkins%29
Board of Regents members gather in the IMU Main Lounge on Wed. March 11, 2015. The State of Iowa Board of Regents meet to discuss the future of universities in Iowa. (The Daily Iowan/Courtney Hawkins)

The University of Iowa presented its plans for construction projects and improvements around campus on Monday at the state Board of Regents meeting.

Rod Lehnertz, the UI senior vice president for Finance and Operations, presented the projects at the meeting with John Staley, the senior associate director of UI Hospitals and Clinics, since a few proposed items on the docket involved the UIHC.

Among these projects are updates to several buildings heavily used by students, including renovations in library and galleria spaces in the Pappajohn Business Building, outer and inner renovations to the Communications Center, renovations to the former School of Music space in the University Capitol Center, and updates to 77-year-old plumbing and vanities in Hillcrest.

Renovations in Hillcrest, with a budget of $4.6 million, will be delivered over four consecutive summers, Lehnertz said.

“The contractor will stage the work so we can do the work while the building is empty of students … the building itself supplies significant amounts of housing for the university, as well as housing the entire food service for west side residents,” Lehnertz said.

On the East Side, the Communications Center, built in 1951, will be renovated to provide space for the Sociology Department, an academic testing center, and classrooms. The project will cost between $10 million and $12 million.

The Pappajohn Business Building, built in 1992, will receive renovations with a budget of $3.1 million.

“Part of an ongoing effort to update our building built in 1992 … we’ve done work within the building already to increase student interaction and teaming opportunities,” said Lehnertz about the Pappajohn Business Building renovations. “The library will be renovated and modernized … to create spaces for our students and faculty.”

Other buildings on campus getting changes and upgrades include some consolidation and consolidation of offices in the UIHC to open space for a new nurse and resident training facility, allowing those professionals to get even more practice with procedure before heading into the real thing.

The Iowa City’s University Capitol Center will receive renovations in the area where the School of Music formerly existed, now that faculty and students have moved into the newly opened Voxman Music Building.

All projects were approved by the regents Monday, granting officials the right to move forward with the projects.

— by Addison Martin

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