Visitors to the first floor of the University Facilities Building are greeted with an array of snacks and fresh plums at the front desk. A sign next to the doorway reads, “Capital Projects and its contractors and subcontractors have worked 66 days without a lost time incident and six days without a recordable incident. Our goal is 365 days without an incident.”

Nestled one floor below among a maze of cubicles sits Randy Everett, project manager for the Capital Projects Office (CPO). The CPO manages the design and construction of new and remodeled university buildings on its three campuses and remote facilities.

In June 2004, the UW’s Building Restoration and Renewal Prioritization Study established a plan to renovate 15 buildings on the Seattle campus. Named “Restore the Core” to reflect the University’s quest to focus its attention on restoring the core campus buildings, the CPO is now halfway through this six-phase project.

Financing

Restore the Core projects are funded by the state and aren’t at the students’ expense.

Non-Restore the Core projects, however, are funded through money collected by Services and Activities Fees (SAF). Proposed by the SAF Committee, these developments include Hall Health, the HUB and the Ethnic Cultural Center.

There won’t be an increase in tuition, but students should be aware that there might be a fee increase in the future.

“The very roughly estimated fee for paying for the HUB, ECC and Hall Health renovations is about $61 per quarter,” said Matt York, the interim services and activities fee committee chair.

A more conrete estimate will be available when the architects complete the design phase.

“We will have good cost numbers this coming spring,” said Eric Godfrey, vice provost for student life.

There are also plans to build and renovate several residence halls.

“The housing capital plan would be paid for out of student rents over the years,” Godfrey said. “And as with the other projects, we are in the design phase and it is too early to provide costs.”

Everett said the state will determine whether funds for the projects will be provided.

“We go to the state and tell them the scope and budget,” said Everett. “Then, the state gets to choose if they want to fund it.”

The budget given to the state also includes money to hire the architects and workers. For Denny Hall, the money the UW has received is just for the design stages. They must petition the state again for money in the spring.

The current economy and upcoming elections will also be closely watched throughout this process.

“The construction workers belong to a union,” Everett said. “And Capital Projects requires them to be paid at least the union rate,”

CPO’s Restore the Core projects have ranged in cost from several thousand to $61.2 million for Savery Hall.

Student reactions

Views about the renovations have been mixed, but students are trying to stay positive about the ongoing changes.

“The money for the renovations has to come from somewhere, and as long as it doesn’t affect our education then that’s OK,” said sophomore Christina Babcock. “It’s good that the money for the new dorms is coming from the people who live there, not from everyone.”

Sophomore Ashley Sandwith’s Navy science class was relocated to Condon this past winter quarter.

“It was my first class of the day so I had to wake up earlier,” said Sandwith. “I pretty much had to jaywalk to go to class.”

Other construction projects have required students to take classes at night.

To make way for donor-funded PACCAR Hall, the new business school, business major Chantel Arey has to take an evening class since workers are tearing down the southwest side of Balmer Hall.

“Teachers requested later classes due to the noise,” said Arey. “They are worried since some classes have to do speeches.”

Benefits of restoration

The goal of restoration projects is that the UW community will benefit from the safe, livable and user-friendly buildings.

Clark and Denny Hall will be wheelchair accessible and Denny will have more bathrooms and elevators, while the HUB’s first-floor bathrooms and its auditorium will be remodeled.

Aside from getting a state-of-the-art multimedia production studio on the ground level with an adjoining café, Odegaard Undergraduate Library will receive an expanded study and computing area with additional seats. Various library branches, including Suzzallo and the engineering library, will receive an increase in power outlets.

CPO requires all of its projects to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certified, which indicates the buildings will have better insulation and be more energy efficient.

Monitoring water usage and using non-hazardous materials helps reduce the long-term maintenance cost and creates a healthier environment, Everett said.

Aside from helping the environment, the renovations will solidify the UW’s rich history.

“I think all these projects maintain our heritage on campus,” said Everett. “Bringing them up to date is just as important as building new buildings.”

Reach reporter Nicole Ciridon at news@dailyuw.com.