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Campus eager for Whitener’s demolition |
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Thursday, 22 September 2005 |
by CLAIR BAXTER
News Reporter
Students and faculty currently located in Whitener Hall will be relocated to the “Old Belk” Library at the end of this semester.
Whitener Hall, which currently houses the departments of history,
political science and criminal justice and Freshman Seminar, will be
demolished starting in January 2006 after 51 years of serving the
Appalachian State University community.
A new parking deck will be built in its place.
“It is currently anticipated that the occupants of Whitener Hall will
be relocated into the old library during the semester break in
December,” Director o Design and Construction Dr. Clyde D. Robbins said.
The proposed demolition of Whitener was approved in 2001 when the
concept plans for the new Carol Grotnes Belk Library and Information
Commons were drawn, Robbins said.
The renovations of Old Belk began in June and are scheduled for
completion by the end of this calendar year and the projected total
cost of renovations required to accommodate the new utilization of Old
Belk is approximately $3.5 million, Robbins said.
Chair of the department of history Michael L. Krenn said he is anxious to move to Belk.
“My basic feeling on the demolition of Whitener is that there won’t be
a wet eye in the house,” Krenn said. “I realize there is probably some
sentimental attachment to a building that has housed the department for
so long, but it’s a very old building which has been allowed to decay
even more in the last few years because no one wanted to make repairs
to a building that is slated for demolition.”
Krenn said there are many current problems in Whitener.
“Heating and air conditioning are miserable, ceiling tiles are falling
out and the bathrooms have child size toilets and no hot water,” Krenn
said. “I am looking forward to the move to Belk, as long as resources
are available to provide both faculty and students with everything
necessary to provide both faculty and students with everything
necessary to the mission of the department of history.”
Many students are also looking forward to the move.
“I think it’s worth the money,” sophomore political science major
Forrest S. Gilliam said. “It is high time these three departments have
adequate facilities.”
When asked about the demolition of Whitener Hall, senior political science major Travis G. Page said, “Good riddance.”
The site Whitener currently stands on will become the Library and
Information Commons parking deck and the classes presently being held
in Whitener will only be available in Old Belk.
“The planned parking deck will contain 302 parking spaces and will be
operated on the same basis as the Rivers Street parking deck,” Robbins
said.
Robbins said a number of the spaces in the new parking deck will be available for annual lease.
The rest of the spaces are open to the campus and the community for parking for an hourly or daily fee, he said.
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