52 renovation projects to be completed by 2020

IU has completed and planned 52 building projects for the campus in the last six years, with the goal of completing these renovations by the bicentennial.

Approved projects include the second phase of the Forest Student Room Project, student program spaces and new dining options, renovations on the Wright Quad dining hall and Teter Window Replacement.

“What we’re trying to do for 2020 is to either renovate our existing housing stock or replace them while keeping the bed total roughly the same, but improving it across the board,” said Vice President of Capital Planning Tom Morrison.  

Work on all these approved projects will start this summer.

Plans to upgrade on-campus housing and dining options were outlined in President Michael McRobbie’s State of the University address in October 2013.

In addition to these approved plans, Morrison said there are many more housing renovations on the horizon that have not yet been approved by the Board of Trustees.

The next round of housing will work to replace some graduate apartments on the
Northern part of campus, he said.

IU also anticipates another phase of renovations on Read, Forest, McNutt and Teter.
Another large future project is the addition of residence halls in Wells Quad, which
originally held women’s residence halls in the 1930s and ‘40s.

“At some time in our history, we needed more academic space because our enrollment was growing,” Morrison said. “Wells Quad became academic.”

According to a story in the Sept. 5, 2013 issue of the IDS, the cost for the renovation
of Wells Quad alone is projected to cost about $60 million.

Buildings like Memorial Hall and Morrison Hall would be repurposed to include student housing and dining, somewhat similar to Collins, Morrison said.

“Having student residence hall space in the core of the campus is a great option for students,” Morrison said.

Patrick Connor, executive director of Residential Programs and Services, said IU would try to keep dining and housing fees competitive with other large universities despite the numerous renovations.

“Each year, part of the rate increase for residence halls and apartments is directly related to ensuring that RPS has the financial resources to continue to improve facilities,” Connor said.

IU anticipates spending $1.5 billion on completing these renovations, but no sources would comment on exactly how much tuition rates would increase as a
result.

“This is in total the most ambitious renovation and repurposing project ever carried out at Indiana University,” McRobbie said in an address.

Follow reporter Dani Castonzo on Twitter @Dani_Castonzo .