Excerpt from the Dayton Busiiness Journal
Wright State University is looking to improve its classroom laboratory facilities through two separate projects with a combined cost of $3 million.
The university will upgrade two facilities at its main campus: Fawcett Hall Chemistry Labs and the Fine Arts Building. Both projects are funded entirely by the state of Ohio, according to Wright State officials.
The projects will not only enhance the campus, they also may provide work for area contractors and suppliers.
At Fawcett Hall, the university will renovate laboratories on the first floor in order to “meet the needs of Wright State University’s Introductory Chemistry Lab Courses reflecting appropriate instructional pedagogical needs,” according to a document submitted to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.
“The way that chemistry is taught is changing, so in addition to the labs being very outdated and not meeting current best practices, this renovation will allow us to meet the current best practices on how to teach chemistry,” said Wright State University Architect Robert Thompson.
The timeline of the project is from January 2018 to August 2019.
Renovations to the Fine Arts Building, which houses a sculpture studio, labs and a stage shop, include “complete assorted building envelope and facility upgrades.” This includes a roof replacement, infrastructure updates, and repairing or replacing a damaged wall separating the welding shop and clay studio, among other items.
“The building has a number of technical issues that we’re having, such as roof leaks and problems with our plumbing system,” Thompson said. “So this is more of a technical renovation to make sure the space is warm, safe and dry for our fine arts students.”
Renovations are set to begin in January and will be completed in August.
The projects are designed to renovate existing campus lab space for “current and future needs,” according to the university.
The direction of these projects was established during the Campus Lab Modernization Planning Study, and were agreed upon by the Faculty Senate Buildings & Grounds and Visioning Committee.
Wright State University is the third-largest higher education institute in the Dayton area with a total enrollment of 17,108 students, according to the Dayton Business Journal’s 2017 Book of Lists.
