Instead of waking to the sounds of chirping birds or ringing alarm clocks, many Iowa State students living near the Knoll, the home of President Martin Jischke, have been awakened by the noise of construction crews.

Renovations to the Knoll have been going on since early fall, but planning for the construction project began back in the spring of 1997.

“This project was approved last spring by the Regents,” said Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance.

The primary renovation to the Knoll involves handicap-accessibility improvements.

According to information provided by John McCarroll, director of university relations, the project will “provide for ADA-compliant accessibility to the main floor area of the building.”

To allow for that, workers are “reconstructing the main entry vestibule,” and an exterior, handicap-accessible ramp is being added to the building.

Additional parking near the front entrance to the Knoll, totaling about 14 spaces, also will be created, McCarroll said.

A new roof also is being installed.

Madden said “the Knoll was built in 1900 as a residential structure,” but it needed to be renovated to accommodate its many other uses.

The Knoll receives at least 9,000 visitors each year, including a variety of ISU groups and clubs, Madden said.

He said the Knoll also houses a large number of student programs, including the President’s Leadership Class, as well as alumni, faculty and staff groups.

People who receive awards through the university also use the Knoll, he said.

The Knoll hosts an open house during Alumni Days and a reception for graduating seniors in the spring.

It also has been used as a meeting place for groups traveling to Ames, Madden said.

During its 97-year history, the Knoll has gone through many other face-lifts, Madden said.

Most recently, the ground floor received new carpet and furniture in the early 1990s.

In previous years, an upstairs bathroom was remodeled and a room was added to the south side, Madden said.

The renovations are being provided by a “combination of funds,” Madden said.

The general university fund is contributing $245,000, while the ISU Foundation is providing $85,000.

The total construction costs for the project are estimated to be $217,500, and the total professional fees are $54,700.

Madden said the handicap-accessibility renovation projects at the Knoll are the “kinds of projects the university supports in all of its buildings.”

The university also is responsible for routine maintenance work on the building, like the roof replacement.

The firm Baldwin White Architects, P.C., of Des Moines, provided architectural engineering services for the project.