Following the flood that occurred in Old Main during February, causing an immediate evacuation, the university has decided to to renovate the oldest building on campus while maintaining its historical essence.
Old Main will undergo much needed repairs to rebuild the infrastructure of the building, support the porches and fix the interior construction “while meeting the requirements of current building and fire safety codes,” said Bob Smith, senior associate vice president for business affairs, in an email interview this summer.
The university is anticipating the project to restore the building will cost nearly $13 million, which will come from donors. The renovation is scheduled to take nearly two years to complete. Old Main continues to display signs of deterioration that require structural reinforcement, Smith said.
“While specific sustainability goals have not yet been developed for this project, it will be constructed in a responsible manner that is consistent with the UA’s high standards,” Smith added.
Offices located in Old Main have been moved to other buildings on campus, like the Dean of Students Office, which is now housed permanently in the Nugent building. The Office’s move uprooted the Think Tank, which has been moved to Bear Down Gymnasium.
“Nugent provided the Dean of Students with an environment that was more suitable to our work,” said Keith Humphrey, dean of students and assistant vice president of student affairs. “We do a lot of individual, confidential one-on-one with students, and being at Bear Down wasn’t the best fit — but it was a great fit for the Think Tank and they agreed to give up their space for us.”
During the summer, the gym was outfitted with offices and cubicles that now houses the Office of Admissions, the Center for Exploratory Students, and the College of Letters, Arts and Science.
According to Jeff Orgera, the executive director of student learning services, there has been discussion about expanding the gym from the south side toward the north side of the stadium “to create an opportunity to expand student services with an extension of academic advising.”
The university has promoted the renovation via social media and registration tours in an effort to keep students informed about the process.
