Construction Nears Completion

The west entryway to C Complex of Allens gymnasium is among areas being renovated as part of a recent construction project.

Seann Blair

The west entryway to C Complex of Allen’s gymnasium is among area’s being renovated as part of a recent construction project.

Seann Blair, Opinion Editor

It is more than evident construction has been taking place around campus. One can hear complaints from students about the noise made during class. The opinions are certainly shared by both students and instructors, but there is a good chance that many people do not know the truth behind why there is so much construction this year.

Brian Counsil, Allen Community College’s vice president for finance and operations, discussed the motives for the new renovations. The focus of the construction is aimed toward improvement of biology laboratories, chemistry labs, locker rooms, restrooms, and entryways.  There is an obvious goal of renovating the science labs and locker rooms, but the restrooms also were in need of updates.

“The restrooms were not uniform and lacked universal functionality,” said Counsil. The restrooms were also not up to code and changes need to take place to make them more handicap accessible. The construction on the restrooms provided uniformity with appropriate heights for the sinks and towel dispensers.

Entryways are another focus of construction. By redesigning the entryways, Counsil said, buildings would be more aesthetically pleasing and provide energy savings. Older designs of the entryways do not regulate interior room temperatures.  New designs are created to keep the weather outside from being blown inside, thus saving the energy used to regulate the interior environment.

While the commotion may seem bothersome, it will be appreciated when done later this month. Council reminds students and staff that “Construction is a sign of progress. Not all progress is great, but this is a good change.”