By, Dylan Whitely, Senior Reporter
The South Hall renovation project is nearing completion, though no final date has been determined.
Crossland Construction began the project after the spring semester wrapped up. The Kansas company previously renovated Fryer and Coronado halls, two other dorms on campus.
The South Hall renovation is a roughly $5 million project. Northwestern Executive Vice President Dr. David Pecha said the facility is getting a full interior facelift, including new paint, ceiling tiles, lights, carpet, heating and air units, blinds and bathroom fixtures.
“Pretty much every surface has been touched with a like replacement,” Pecha said.
Female students who would have lived in South Hall were not able to move in at the beginning of the fall semester because the project’s completion was delayed. Pecha said he does not know exactly when the project will be completed. However, contractors are finishing up the interior of the building.
“Backlog from supplies has hit this project, which we kind of knew going into it,” Pecha said. “We knew we were taking a chance with some of the supplies coming in.”
This has caused South Hall residents to move into Coronado, one of the dorms for male students. Female students are living on the third and fourth floors of Coronado, with the male students moving into the first two floors.
Accommodating the higher number of students in Coronado has resulted in other changes as well. Every student now has a roommate, so there are no private rooms for residents who may have requested one previously. Some male students from Coronado Hall were moved to Ament Hall.
Once the renovation project is complete, students will move into the dorms they normally would have had.
STUDENTS: HAVING
A ROOMMATE
IS NOT SO BAD
Some students say they’re not bothered by the temporary living arrangements.
Nate Hunt, a sophomore from Alva, is adjusting to having a roommate this semester after having a private room during his freshman year.
“I actually like having a roommate,” Hunt said. “He wakes up early, and so it forces me to get up and get ready for class.”
Hunt said having female students in Coronado hasn’t been an inconvenience. He said the biggest change he has noticed is that the parking lot is crowded, and finding a spot has become difficult.
Violet McGuire, a senior from Owasso majoring in agriculture education, said the living situations haven’t bothered her much.
“It’s a little bit of an inconvenience, but honestly, it hasn’t been too bad,” McGuire said. “I haven’t heard a ton of talk from other girls on how they feel about it, other than the fact that we’re on the fourth floor.”
McGuire also said she enjoys her roommate.
Pecha said that, despite the time the project has taken, the end result will be valuable.
“It will virtually be, for the ladies who move back in to that dorm, a brand new dorm,” Pecha said. “And we hope that the inconvenience is well worth it for those residents.