Youngstown State University has utilized the summer months to upgrade the school’s buildings and facilities. While a lot of renovation projects were completed this summer, YSU’s facilities office has said that there is always work to be done.
These summer construction and renovation projects cost the university $8.2 million to complete.
Most projects on campus were conducted for maintenance purposes. Utility tunnels underneath Kilcawley Center’s loading dock were repaired, elevators in Cushwa Hall, Bliss Hall and Maag Library were updated, and concrete in the center of campus was replaced.
Jack Fahey, vice president of student affairs, said that it is a regular practice to make repairs during the summer because facilities have the lowest usage during these months. Fahey is pleased with the progress.
“We have many millions of dollars of deferred maintenance and it is a goal of the university to try to catch up on those needs in priority order,” Fahey said. “Overall, I think our YSU staff and the construction contractors did a good job of getting a lot done over a short time period.”
Richard White, YSU’s associate director of plan construction, expressed pride in the work completed during the summer months.
“What we did this summer was a lot of work,” White said. “We kind of pushed ourselves, and we’re proud of how it turned out.”
While most projects were completed for maintenance purposes, other changes around campus aimed to enhance the university’s aesthetics. Improvements were made to the interior design of Cushwa Hall, DeBartolo Hall, and Kilcawley House.
White and Fahey both hope these changes will appeal to students.
“Take a walk through Cushwa now. It’s night and day,” White said. “[Cushwa and DeBartolo] are going to look really nice when you have potential students walking through with their parents. [These renovations] will certainly be a factor when they’re making their college decision.”
Fahey said renovations will benefit current students as well.
“The recent Cushwa and DeBartolo projects are examples of the university trying to improve its facilities to enhance our students’ experience. The recent improvements in Kilcawley House and in the various dining areas around campus are a direct response to specific student input,” Fahey said.
White indicated that further upgrades and repairs are scheduled for the future. Work on campus elevators will continue over winter break, and maintenance on the roofs of Ward Beecher Hall and Moser Hall are expected to begin in the coming months.