Excitement building: Kansas State University making infrastructure improvements as part of K-State 2025
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Construction continues on the expansion of Kansas State University's Engineering Complex at College Heights Road and Denison Avenue. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Construction and road closures at Kansas State University are all part of the plan — the K-State 2025 plan.
"We are making exciting progress toward our goal of revitalizing the university's building infrastructure — a necessity of becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025," said Kirk Schulz, Kansas State University president. "Current and future construction projects will aid in growing the university's research capabilities and provide collaborative learning environment for students."
Among the significant current and future projects:
• Engineering Complex — The expansion of the complex has an expected completion by November, with classrooms ready for spring 2016. The addition to the Engineering Complex, at the corner of College Heights Road and Denison Avenue, will create more than 100,000 square feet of instructional, research and office space. A Web camera is set up to view the progress.
• Memorial Stadium — Construction of the new Berney Family Welcome Center in the east side of the historic stadium will be complete in April 2016. The center will be one of the first in the country to provide a central location for students and families to connect with key student services, including New Student Services, Office of Admissions, Office of Financial Assistance, Housing and Dining Services, and Career and Employment Services. The renovation of the west side of the stadium and the relocation of the Purple Masque Theatre were completed in March.
• College of Business Administration new building — The new 155,000-square-feet building on Lovers Lane will have tiered classrooms, a large showcase lecture hall, computer labs, a financial research lab and an executive conference room when completed in July 2016. The plans include dedicated space for entrepreneurship and sales education, as well as space for study, collaboration and networking throughout the building.
• Equine Performance Testing Facility — The new addition to the Veterinary Medicine Complex will provide a soft-footing riding arena, an asphalt footing area and a 140-foot-long runway for lameness examinations; four holding stalls; a farrier services area; a radiographic imaging area; and a conference room for client services, student education and outreach activities. Construction of the $2.8 million facility will begin in August and is expected to be complete by March 2016.
• Jon Wefald Hall — Construction of the university's newest residence hall, part of the Kramer Complex on Claflin Road, started ahead of schedule and is expected to be complete in July 2016. Named in honor of the university's 12th president, Wefald Hall will have eight floors and 129,000 square feet of living space for more than 540 students. Renovations to Kramer Dining Center are expected to be complete in May 2016.
• Seaton Hall renovation and expansion — Construction is scheduled to start in October. A phased reopening of the project, involving new construction and renovations, is expected to be partially complete in late fall 2016, with the final phase complete in spring 2017. The improvements will provide 194,000 square feet of space with interdisciplinary design labs, an outdoor teaching amphitheater, a 300-seat auditorium, consolidated fabrication and product design labs, an atrium commons and collaborative spaces. Along with donor and state funds, the college's Student Advisory Council voted to increase student fees for four years to raise $1 million annually to support the project.
• K-State Student Union — Construction on the $25 million renovation, funded by a flat $20 per semester increase in a student-approved privilege fee, will start in September and is expected to be complete in late fall 2016. The renovation will update the southern appearance of the Union, renovate the retail areas, add a collaborative student lounge and a technology lounge, consolidate the student activities offices and enhance dining services with a sports pub and coffee house.
• Bill Snyder Family Stadium — Construction on the stadium's north end and Vanier Football Complex will be complete in August. The expansion will include an academic learning center; strength, conditioning, training and recovery area; locker rooms; a team theater and meeting rooms; an office complex for coaches; and improved north-end seating and fan amenities. View photos of construction progress.
• Chilled Water Plant and distribution project — The first phase of the new Chilled Water Plant, north of Claflin Road on campus, and the chilled water pipe expansion project started in January. It will provide chilled water cooling to several buildings not currently connected to the system, with the potential to expand to future buildings such as the new College of Business Administration building and the Engineering Complex expansion. Workers are installing new chilled water pipes around campus — causing many on-campus road closures — to create a loop system that will allow for repair and maintenance without affecting surrounding facilities. The chiller building and campuswide underground distribution pipe is expected to be complete in fall 2016.
• Jardine Complex — The transformation of the Jardine Apartments continues with one building every year until 2021. Building M is scheduled for this year and Building G will be next year.
• Purebred Beef Teaching Unit — Construction to improve this facility will start in April 2016 and is expected to be complete in December 2016.
In addition, several repair and rehabilitation projects have been completed on the Manhattan campus:
• Roof and window replacement and building maintenance of Ahearn Field House, Coles Hall, Holton Hall, Power Plant, Mosier Hall, Nichols Hall, Throckmorton Hall, Trotter Hall and West Stadium.
• Heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems upgrades in the Veterinary Medicine Complex.
• Renovation or remodeling classrooms and labs in Cardwell Hall, Fiedler Library Student Success Center, Lafene Health Center, Mosier Hall, Throckmorton Hall, Trotter Hall and Waters Hall.
Campus infrastructure and utility maintenance projects include waterproofing the basement foundation in Hale Library; upgrades to the elevators in Bluemont Hall; stone replacement on Nichols Hall and West Stadium; life safety improvements in the Veterinary Medicine and Engineering complexes; a new swine nursery at the Swine Teaching and Research Center; and the next phase of switching the main campus buildings to an updated, safer and more reliable 12.5 kilovolt electrical loop distribution system.
Various projects in progress at the K-State Salina campus are the College Center roof replacement, stormwater improvements, sidewalk repairs and replacements, classroom and lab renovations, exterior lighting and life safety upgrades, and heating, air conditioning and ventilation system maintenance. Improvements also are being made to the Southwest Kansas Research-Extension Center in Garden City.
