Although many students know that Maple Hall, one of the residence halls in the Richardson Court Association, will be shut down next year for renovations, some may not know the extent of the restorations.

Some of the features of the renovated Maple Hall, which will reopen in August 1999, include the installation of sinks in each room and semi-private bathrooms on every floor.

Residence Director Randy Alexander said current plans include eight semi-private bathrooms per floor, one of which will be handicapped accessible. There will also be seven private shower rooms per floor, one of those also being handicapped accessible.

Each floor will have access to a fully-furnished kitchen/den combination and will have suites available for house members, he said.

There will be two suites on each floor, each with their own private bathroom and shower. He said the heating, cooling and lighting systems also will be improved, with each room having six outlets.

Other possible plans include classroom space, carpeting in every room and computer labs and storage space on alternating floors.

Alexander said there is a possibility Maple Hall will be co-ed.

Alexander said James Judy, assistant director for facilities planning and management, has taken the lead in coordinating Maple Hall’s restoration.

He also confirmed that next year’s proposed 7.5 percent room and board increase is in part due to Maple Hall’s repairs, but he added that ISU still has one of the lowest room and board rates in the country.

Gary Schwartz, associate director of residence, said Maple Hall was a prime candidate for renovations because of its poor exterior condition.

“Some of the conditions in Maple were … to the point where if we didn’t fix it, it would cause exterior damage,” Schwartz said, adding that the recommendation was for an “emergency repair.”

Alexander said several other residence halls will most likely receive improvements in the near future.

Schwartz said he “certainly hopes” the new renovations will make Maple Hall one of the most desirable places to live on campus.

Kim Araya, hall director of Maple Hall, said Alexander showed the residents prospective plans for the “new” Maple Hall and listened to their concerns.

Araya said there have been mixed emotions about some of the renovation plans, but she added that many residents are enthusiastic about the changes.

“I’d say [the reaction ] has been very positive,” Araya said. She said she has heard that many students, particularly freshmen, are hoping to come back to Maple Hall.

Araya said she is excited about the plans for Maple Hall.

“I think it’s absolutely awesome; it will be a wonderful building when it reopens,” Araya said. “Maple Hall is going to have much more space for the women to use.”

Peter Englin, coordinator of residence life, said the Maple Hall residents who have seen the plans for the new hall reacted very positively.

Students also seemed pleased with the plans.

“I think [the renovations] are going to be really nice. I especially like the suites,” said Tara Tinlin, freshman in animal ecology and resident of Maple Hall.

Tinlin said she and a group of friends are hoping to return to Maple Hall after it is remodeled to live in a suite.

Alexander said reactions from residents will most likely be positive.

“They’re going to like it a lot,” he said. “It’s going to be really popular.”

Alexander added that it will probably be possible for current residents of Maple Hall to return to the dorm in August 1999.

Englin said although some of the residents have expressed disappointment that they will not be able to return to Maple Hall next year, the majority of the residents understand the need for renovations.

To accommodate the loss of Maple Hall as a housing option, Englin said current residents will be able to “preference” any housing on campus they would like for the 1998-99 school year.

Carrie Kepler, resident assistant in Maple Hall, said she is planning to become an RA in Linden Hall next year. Kepler, senior in hotel and restaurant management, said if she was not graduating in a year, she would have liked to return to Maple Hall as an RA.

She said she thinks the proposed plans will make the hall “more centralized and more homey.”