Committee approves 2 Purdue residence hall projects
February 20, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue University Board of Trustees Physical Facilities Committee on Thursday (Feb. 20) approved construction of an academic support center in one residence hall and the award of the construction contract for the replacement of windows at another.
The nearly 12,000-square-foot academic support center on Shreve Hall's ground floor will include space for both organized and self-directed academic activity and will be open to any student living in University Residences.
"University Residences is a place where students live out almost every facet of their college life," said Barbara Frazee, University Residences' executive director. "We're dedicated to them succeeding at the prime mission of the university - higher education."
The estimated $3.9 million project also includes funds to install a fire suppression system in the renovated space as well as in 16,000 adjacent square feet, completing the Shreve Hall fire suppression work. The project will be paid for from Housing and Food Services reserves.
The committee also approved a $2.2 million construction contract with J.R. Kelly Co. Inc. of Lafayette, Ind., to replace all windows at Meredith Hall, including curtain walls at the stair towers. The project will be phased over two summers. The total project budget of $2.6 million will be funded by Housing and Food Services reserves.
Neither project requires approval from the full board.
Meredith Hall opened in 1952 and was originally known as X Hall, because of its "X" shape. It was named after Virginia Claypool Meredith (1848-1936). She died at the age of 88 after a long and illustrious career in the fields of agriculture and home economics. More than 50 years before her death, she earned the title of "Queen of American Agriculture" because of her staunch support and vigilant championship of farmers and farm life.
Shreve Hall opened in 1970 and was named after Eleanor and Randolph Shreve who were instrumental in the development of the Taiwan College of Engineering in Formosa.
Writer: Jim Schenke, 765-494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu
Sources: Barbara Frazee, 765-494-1000, bjfrazee@purdue.edu
Michael B. Cline, vice president for physical facilities, 765-494-8000
Related website:
Purdue physical facilities: https://www.purdue.edu/physicalfacilities/
