Lab upgrades to continue till April
Renovations needed to meet fed. standards
By Sarah Chacko
Staff Reporter

The animal holding labs that make up most of the third floor in Winton-Scott Hall are being renovated to meet federal standards, university officials said.

The renovations are a continuation of the Reshoring Project, a $30 million renovation program to upgrade undergraduate classrooms, said Jim Weller, associate director of major projects. Work on the labs began Dec. 20 and is expected to continue through the beginning of April.

Blake Hodges, a graduate psychology student who works in the building, said the graduate labs have moved three times to accommodate the construction.

“It seems like they’re always doing construction here,” Hodges said, “But I like what they’re doing with the labs.”

Marilyn Eudaly, psychology department manager, said listening to construction noise is a small price to pay for renovated labs.

“While the noise and dust is sometimes distracting, it is definitely worth the end result,” Eudaly said.

The construction is only on the third floor, where graduate labs are located. The workers have a schedule of classes, Eudaly said, so the loudest work will be done in the evenings or weekends.

“The work is not expected to disrupt any classes,” Eudaly said. “But you can’t predict anything.”

The $1.5 million construction renovations at Winton-Scott Hall were needed to meet federal requirements for the psychology department’s new vivarium, or animal holding facility, Weller said. The old vivarium was not up to federal requirements for temperature and humidity control, air exchange an hour, access control and certain construction materials, he said.

Weller said airtight materials will be installed in the ceilings and floors to avoid problems with insects, mold and mildew. Fresh air will be blown through the rooms for the animals.

A new automatic watering system not required by the code will also be installed for the benefit of animal care specialists, Weller said.

The animals are still being cared for in Winton-Scott Hall, but are not all located in one place, said Timothy Barth, chairman of the psychology department.

New audio and video systems are also being added, said Steven Cole, director of graduate studies for the psychology department.

“We’re upgrading from what we used to need to what we’re going to need,” Cole said. “It’s a positive thing, it’s just not fun going through it.”

The Reshoring Project began in May 2001 and will continue through the summer 2003. The Physical Plant renovated 78 classrooms in 2001, Weller said, and has since renovated five auditoriums in the Moudy buildings, classrooms in the Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic, some additional space in Reed Hall and the biology and geology departments in Winton-Scott Hall and Sid W. Richardson Building.

Weller said additional work to the renovations include upgrades to restrooms and both mechanical and plumbing systems.

The final phase of the Reshoring Project is being designed now and will cover the chemistry and physics departments in Winton-Scott Hall and Sid W. Richardson Building, Weller said. The work is scheduled to begin after final exams and will last until the start of classes in August.

Sarah Chacko