This semester construction continues on the new bridge and dorms. However, students and faculty may notice that construction is also underway by the Crews Indoor Practice Facility on a new Physical Plant facility.
The current building is located behind Sturgis Physical Education Center (SPEC) and was built in 1970.
According to Dr. Brett Powell, vice president for administrative services, planning for a new physical plant started with the construction of the Student Village.
“[It was] a snowball effect. The village and where that was placed turned Sturgis around so the back of the building becomes the front of the building…we were looking at ways to dress up that area some, so it looks more like the front of a building,” Powell said. “One of the thoughts we had was to move the maintenance complex entirely. That’s the long-term plan.”
John Hardman, director of the Physical Plant, echoed Powell’s statement.
“The growth of the campus is coming this way,” Hardman said. “It’s [moving the Physical Plant] cleaning up a corner of campus.”
According to Hardman, when finished, the new complex will house five buildings and a separate greenhouse. It will be about twice the square footage of the existing building and will allow the department to separate their sub departments into different buildings.
“We’re [basically] splitting the department,” Hardman said.
Another consideration was blending into the neighborhood. Hardman said the exterior of the buildings would be “maintenance free.”
Powell also stressed the effort being made to fit into the neighborhood.
“One of the things we are trying to do with the design that complex is fit into the neighborhood that is down there,” Powell said. “We didn’t want a huge building down there so it’s broken up into smaller buildings.”
The new buildings will also allow the department to house its sand tiger—the machine used to cut the Senior Sidewalk, their carpet steamer, the sign shop and the vehicle repairs section in separate “controlled spaces,” Hardman said.
The Physical Plant is made up of four main departments: mechanical—which houses electrical, heating/cooling, plumbing, communications and networking (in conjunction with IT Services); carpentry—which houses paint and construction; grounds and landscaping, and building services—which handles the custodial work.
Eventually they will also be responsible for the Natural Science Department’s Biodiesel project as well.
There are currently 54 people employed by the Physical Plant and they do “most things [repairs included] in house,” Hardman said. “It puts a lot of pride in our staff to do [things in house].”
Before construction began on the project, the land was raised about four feet using dirt from the construction of the new entry road to ensure that it should not flood.
The construction is progressing as the department finds the funds, but the first two buildings are expected to be completed this semester.
“I hope to move into the first building on April 1, and the second on May 1 of this semester,” Hardman said.
When completed, the new facility will also include public restrooms for use by Rec. Sports and the band, U-lock-it style storage units for social clubs, Rec. Sports, the band—on a seasonal basis—and the production crew.
The storage units will allow groups to retrieve their items without needing to call Campus Safety as each group will be in charge of its own set of keys.
Other potential additions to the complex are repaving the parking lots around the football field and lighting the Rec. Sports field.
While they are unsure about what will happen to the existing building when the Maintenance Department moves into its new home, Powell and Hardman said that the building will most likely be sold or scrapped.
“If there [are] parts of it we can salvage to put a little bit of money back into the project then we’ll do that,” Powell said.
Even though there is currently no planned date of completion, due to the nature of the funding for the project, Hardman says they are excited about the project.
By Ananda Boardman, Signal Writer
