Campus Changes

Snell Hall

The new Snell Hall will see its first students this fall. The five-story, $24 million facility will house classrooms, lecture rooms, instructional labs and research labs for chemistry, biology, agriculture, engineering and computer science departments.

DAVINCI'S has been constructed inside of the new Snell Hall Building will serve coffee, a variety of pastries, soups, sandwiches, and desserts.

Dining Improvements

The Fresh Food Company in Downing University Center received fresh paint and carpet as well as the addition of a Mongolian grill. Freshens, in the DUC lobby, was completely renovated and has total new look.

Residence Hall Renovations

The Student Life Foundation completed work on five residence halls over the summer. Floors three-19 of Pearce-Ford Tower and the south tower of Douglas Keen Hall received a makeover that included work on bathrooms; plumbing, mechanical and lighting systems; and replacement of furniture and flooring in bedrooms and common areas. The final phase of renovations to Gilbert, McCormack and Rodes-Harlin halls was completed and included replacing all bedroom furniture and flooring as well as new paint.

Houchens-Smith Stadium

The expansion and renovation of Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium is now complete. The project includes new quarters for the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Kinesiology and the football program.

New Projects that have been started this summer:

Chandler Chapel and Columbarium: This facility will be a 2,145 square-foot, non-sectarian chapel with a capacity of 80 seats and a columbarium. The project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2010.

Baseball Clubhouse: The new Baseball Clubhouse will be 4,210 square feet consisting of players' and coaches' locker rooms, coaches' offices and a players' lounge and training room. The project is scheduled to be completed in January 2010.

Carroll Knicely Center Renovation: The Carroll Knicely Renovation project will add an overall 26,272 square feet and renovation of 1,250 square feet, including 9,973 square feet of conference room space. The project will be complete by November 2010.

Parking Lot Improvements

Adams Street Lot: This large gravel lot was re-graded and surfaced with asphalt and pervious concrete paving. The lot includes a water detention area located under the surface of the pervious paving. The new configuration improves the parking capacity from 442 to 497 spaces.

Normal Drive @ University Boulevard Lot: The lot has been expanded from 167 spaces to 381 spaces. This lot includes pervious paving along with traditional asphalt that reduces the amount of rainwater runoff into the storm sewer system.

Pearce-Ford Tower Lot: This project included the reconstruction of the current lot from 376 to 386 spaces which were re-graded and resurfaced.

Chestnut Lot: This lot also includes pervious pavement and was re-graded and resurfaced. There will be a net loss of three spaces, 154 to 151 with this reconstruction.

Two-way traffic

College Heights Boulevard from State Street to Hilltop Drive has change from one-way to two-way. The intersection of College Street and College Heights Boulevard is now a three-way stop.

Additional Projects Underway

Returning students will also find progress to several projects already underway at the end of the spring semester. They include the renovation and restoration of Van Meter Hall, expansion of the Preston Center, renovation of Science and Technology Hall and the College of Education Building.

Students attending WKU's Owensboro Campus will also notice the new facility being funded and built by Daviess County Fiscal Court is nearing completion and should open for the spring 2010 semester.

More WKU news is available at http://www.wku.edu/news/index.html