Sturges Hall (pictured above) will begin intense renovations in the spring of 2020. The project will take two years, accordinng to Mike Neiderbach, director of facilities planning and construction. Neiderbach anticipates the project will be completed by the fall of 2022 (Xavier Delcid/photo editor).
Beginning in the winter of 2020, Fraser and Sturges hall will undergo a two-year renovation.
Michael Neiderbach, Ddirecor of facilities planning and construction Michael Neiderbach, said that the construction taking place in Sturges will possibly be the first of its kind.
“I don’t think it [Sturges] has ever seen a major complete renovation,” Neiderbach said. “On the ground floor we’re going to have some lab space in the north area and the rest of the ground floor is going to be offices and a couple of classrooms for the communication department. Then on the first floor of the north wing will be the AOP program and the remainder of the floor will be classrooms, Title IX, and diversity.”
Neiderbach went on to explain the depth of the renovations.
“The second floor will be the auditorium in the north wing, that’s going to remain,” Neiderbach said. “On the second floor we’re going to have history and political science offices. And then on the third floor is going to be tutoring and testing and a couple of seminar rooms.”
According to an article published by The Lamron in Feb. 2019, Neiderbach said that in Fraser there will be a newly renovated space for for “classrooms, a collaboration shop, study commons, seminar rooms, project rooms, a cafe, a meditation room … and conference rooms.”“This building’s a historic building so we have to preserve historic elements within the building,” Neiderbach said. “We’re being very cautious about the existing historical elements. Things like the clocks, the handrails, certain design elements within the auditorium are going to remain because they’re historic.”
Neiderbach said he anticipates the project to be completed by the Fall of 2022.
“So Sturges has seen minor renovations over the years but I don’t think it has ever seen a major complete renovation,” said Neiderbach said. “There have been new elevators and newer lighting put into place but nothing to this extent before … it will take some time.”
Robert Ames, Aassistant vice president for facility and planning services Robert Ames, said that the renovation will marginally affect classroom scheduling.
“So, we’re working with the registrar and the class scheduling offices,” Ames said. “We’ve done a study and we have enough class capacity throughout the campus to accommodate all the classes that are now taking place in Sturges … so that’s going to be fine. They’ll take place in other buildings.”
Students and faculty have voiced concern over these renovations citing issues with overcrowding in buildings, the removal process of Fraser’s library, and inconvenience.
“I don’t think there’ll be overcrowding,” Neiderbach said. “There will be increased utilization in other buildings, but I don’t think it’ll be overcrowding.”
In the Sept. 5 issue of The Lamron published last week, the staff editorial voiced concerns regarding overcrowding and the removal process of Fraser library.
“The removal of the books and other items in the Fraser library was done in conjunction with the director of the library program,” Ames said. “It wasn’t done randomly;, it was done in conjunction with her oversight. In fact, it was library staff that actually did the removal of the books and materials.”
Assistant Pprofessor of history Amanda Lewis-Nang’ea said that the construction would bring an inconvenience, not only to her department, but also to the students who study history.
“I mean overall, I think people sort of complain and gripe about the inconvenience,” Lewis-Nang’ea said. “It will be an inconvenience to everyone. Because history majors are all used to being here in Sturges, we’re gonna be all over the place for a while.”
Despite the possibility of inconvenience occurring, Lewis-Nang’ea said she is hopeful that the renovations will eventually be for the better.
“I’m hoping that we’ll get some updates and create classroom spaces that are better for student learning,” Lewis-Nang’ea said. “Hopefully this is all gonna be good despite the fact that we’ll be in little cubicle type offices I think for maybe two years.”
Year and major, Kathy O’Keeffe said the renovation will not affect her.
“I don’t have a very strong opinion, I don’t normally have classes in those buildings, but I think the renovations could give important opportunities to future generations that come to Geneseo,” O’Keeffee said.