By Gary Collins/reporter
The 40-year-old Business and Social Sciences Building on NE Campus is receiving a much-needed remodel.
Throughout the remainder of the year, various sections of the building will be closed, scattering classes across campus.
With architectural drawings dating to 1967, the Business and Social Sciences Building is one of the original NE Campus structures now outdated since the campus opened in 1968.
“Before work can begin, the board is presented with a guaranteed maximum price and that is presented to the board,” construction coordinator James Reynolds, said. “The board will approve the funding for it.”
The guaranteed maximum price gives the board an idea of the cost of the work. A company will draw the plans for what the renovation will be.
“The construction department takes those plans to the board. They look it over and say that’s what we want to do,” said Michael Tankersley, NE plant superintendent.
Covering 24,000 square feet, the renovation work is scheduled for two phases.
Phase one began on the 12,000-square-foot, two-floor section on the south end. The work started last summer and is expected to be complete by November 2010.
Academic Computing moved from the bottom floor to its permanent home in the Multipurpose Center.
The south end of the building will receive a total renovation with a mix of classroom and office space. Currently, it is closed off to all classes.
TCC is in the process of modernizing its older buildings throughout the district.
“The building would be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act with the installation of an elevator,” Reynolds said. “They will also replace chalkboards with dry erase boards and mediate the rooms with ceiling-mounted data projectors.”
The roof was replaced last year, and a new air conditioning system will come in phase two.
The business and social sciences division including the history, government, sociology and psychology courses was hit hardest by the renovations. So far, 20 classes have been displaced.
“Basically what happened is we had to move out an entire wing of the building, and we moved into the warehouse [Multipurpose Center],” said Linda Wright, business and social sciences divisional dean.
With more changes to come, the division will continue to make a home of the Multipurpose Center for the near future.
“I anticipate history, government, sociology and psychology will be using the building for the next year at least,” Wright said.
The Multipurpose Center is located on the northeast corner of NE Campus across from the Technology and Arts Building.
“What we’re going to do is flip classes,” she said. “The classes in the MPC will move back, and the classes in the NBSS building will move into the warehouse.”
The pre-construction process for phase two, expected to start in summer 2010, is the same as for phase one.
Located on the north end, the office administration program will receive modernized classrooms and offices for faculty.
“We are going to be moving to the lower end, and we look forward to getting new equipment,” said office administration coordinator Daisy DuBose. “Ours have gotten a little outdated. We’re still using disk computers in our rooms.”
Despite the changes, DuBose is certain the outcome is worth the moving and thinks the renovations will help the program better serve its students.
The communications arts speech classes will also get more space for its expanding program.
“We’re not moving completely. We’re just receiving additional space and a speech lab,” communication arts department chair Lisa Benedetti said. “Just like the math lab, the speech lab will do the same for speech students, giving them a small computer lab.”
The new space will also have taping and viewing rooms. Students can use the space to practice, video and view their speeches.
Benedetti said the extra space will benefit students but does not know when they can move in.
“We’re hoping by next fall,” she said, “but it is all based on the construction process.”
