Despite all the dust and debris, people in Beardshear Hall are in high spirits due to the new renovations.

The dome in the hall is nearing completion.

The scaffolding was taken down over the winter break revealing the renovated dome, said Charles Dobbs, assistant to President Gregory Geoffroy.

Tim Gundlach, superintendent of general construction for Harold Pike Construction, said old photographs of Beardshear Hall were used as research for the renovation.

“We also had contractors come in and strip layer upon layer of paint to see the old colors,” he said. “We tried to match the colors of paint as closely as possible.” A color very close to the building’s original is being used.

Along with painting, workers added spotlights and gilding to the dome. To gild the dome they used 24-karat gold leaf.

“It is more visible; the paint and the gold bring it out a lot,” said Gundlach.

Pat Hoversten, secretary to the events coordinator, works on the first floor of the building. “I like the fact that the dome is so light and bright. It seems lighter in the atrium,” she said.

There are plans to add a stained glass skylight to the top of the dome, Gundlach said. Although the dome skylight was not stained glass originally, ISU employees who work in Beardshear are excited for the change.

Leah Henderson, an ISU employee who works on the third floor, said her favorite part of the dome is the gilding.

“I really like the gilding, but I reserve the right to change my mind once the stained glass is done,” she said.

Henderson is supportive of Beardshear’s makeover. “I like the idea that it’s being redone. It will have a fresh coat of paint, be updated, yet keep its historical value.”

The dome renovation rediscovered the past in more ways than one.

James Conn, employee of Hajek Painting, said workers from Evergreene Painting Studios Inc. found historical items on a ledge in the dome.

“They found a note from the workers and an Iowa State Daily from 1952,” he said. Evergreene had done work on the dome in 1952.

“It’s [Evergreene’s] trademark. They leave notes behind everywhere they go,” said Brad Olson, employee of Hajek Painting. “The note said something to the extent of ‘We hope you appreciate the work done’ and all the workers signed their name to it.”

The Evergreene workers placed a 1952 issue of the Daily and the note back on the dome ledge to be rediscovered at a later date, said Olson.

Gundlach estimated the date of completion for all of Beardshear as April 1st.

“I’m ready to see [the construction] end. We’ve been working on it for two and a half years now,” he said. “I’ve been ready for about a year now for things to be wrapped up.”