By Kristin Hodges

kdh027@latech.edu

 

Renovations on the second, twelfth and fifteenth floors in Wyly Tower of Learning will be complete by the end of the month, with offices moving back in during the next few weeks.

Sam Wallace, director of support services, said the project should be substantially finished by the end of October.

“There may be some things that may not be finished, but renovations are scheduled to be complete at the end of the month,” Wallace said.

Construction began in March, and work is complete on floors 12 and 15. Workers are well into remodeling the second floor and the outside ramp, Wallace said.

Renovations in Wyly are possible because of excess funding left over after Hale Hall was completed in 2002.

Tech was able to allocate those funds for the Wyly project, Wallace said.

“Hale Hall took admissions, which was on the second floor. Hale also got architecture, which was on the twelfth, thirteenth and part of the fifteenth floor,” Wallace said. “We had those spaces that became vacant and were in need of renovations.”

Wallace said more space would have been renovated but funding was limited.

Minnie Modest, a junior administration and business major, said the construction in Wyly Tower has not bothered her.

“I have been in there and wondered why they were renovating,” Modest said.

Wyly Tower looked satisfactory before construction, she said.

Wallace said a lot of different needs were accommodated during the renovation.

“Before we started the renovations, an asbestos abatement project removed the asbestos fireproofing in the building and the interior walls,” Wallace said.

Another reason for renovation is that Wyly Tower is almost 40 years old, Wallace said.

“There were some programs that needed space, consolidation and needed different space than what they have got [now],” Wallace said.

After renovations are complete, the fifteenth floor will hold offices, including University Research and Information Systems, and the administrative computer support group, Wallace said.

The twelfth floor will hold continuing education, marketing and public relations, institutional research and enrollment management.

Norm Pumphrey, director of retention and advising, said the Student Achievement Center will take up the second floor and part of the third floor.

The center will coordinate efforts across campus to get first-year students connected to activities at Tech, Pumphrey said.

Math and writing learning assistance will be available, along with other projects being phased in throughout the year, Pumphrey said.

“We hope to be heavily involved in first-year programs so we can [be a continuation] of university seminar classes,” Pumphrey said.

“The Student Achievement Center is going to be a place for students to come and do a variety of [activities] to help with their success.”

Wallace said the center will be an enjoyable new interest to campus.

Wallace said, “The Student Achievement Center will be a showcase.”