ISU Facilities, Planning and Management officials are taking advantage of the absence of thousands of ISU students during the summer months to work on major and minor construction projects on campus.

Dean McCormick, assistant director for Facilities, Planning and Management, said this summer is especially busy for interior renovations and the remodeling of campus buildings.

“There can typically be as many as 50 projects occurring around campus in the summer, and this year is no different,” McCormick said.

Some of the projects include the remodeling of the fourth floor of Bessey Hall and the Student Services building, which is slated to be finished by fall semester, McCormick said.

Along with the completion of the Student Services building, university officials plan to create a Student Services Plaza, which would essentially be a paved seating area outside the building.

Parks Library will also undergo a slight renovation this summer.

Joan Mueller, library associate in the dean’s office, explained the renovations will compliment ones that were completed during the winter months.

“We are having the wooden parquet floor on the first floor removed and replacing it with a tile floor,” Mueller said. “We will also be replacing furniture as we did over winter break.”

Howe Hall was unveiled last fall, and the second part of the two-phase project, Hoover Hall, will start construction in early 2001. It’s currently still in the design stages, McCormick said.

Together, Hoover Hall and Howe Hall will create a state-of-the-art engineering complex, he said.

“Hoover Hall is the second phase of a two-phase project, Howe Hall being the first phase, that will create the ETRC, the Engineering Teaching Research Complex,” McCormick said. “We plan to connect the two via a skywalk over the street.”

Another big project that will soon start construction is the renovation of the first floor of Beardshear Hall.

John McCarroll, director of University Relations, said the renovation is an exciting change, one that would bring more services to students.

“The architectural plans are pretty exciting,” he said. “Beardshear hasn’t undergone any renovation in quite awhile, and there will be much better lighting and more space when complete.”

The Student Answer Center, along with many offices located in Beardshear, are already being moved around to free up space that will be renovated, he said.

Beardshear’s construction will most likely continue into the school year, but McCarroll said he thinks the final project will be well worth it.

“When this is finished, it will be quite a facility in terms of student services. It will benefit the students greatly,” he said.