PULLMAN, Wash. — In addition to building the new Student Recreation Center, Washington State University’s Department of Facilities Development is currently involved with two other projects on the Pullman campus: construction of the Teaching and Learning Center and renovation of White Hall into Scholars Hall.
Scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2001, construction of the teaching center began in July 1999. The construction site, next to the Fine Arts Building, can be seen while driving or walking along Stadium Way.
The 195,000-square-foot, $41 million project includes a four-story classroom structure atop a four-story garage with a 285 vehicle capacity. The center will house administrative and faculty offices for the Center of Teaching, Learning and Technology, as well as for the General Education Program and the University Writing Program.
Two classrooms in the center will be linked to the WHETS interactive audio/video telecommunication system. There will also be one open-access computer lab and 20 additional classrooms featuring new and traditional learning technologies, two university computer labs, a writing lab and two tiered auditoriums, one seating 100 and one seating 240. There will also be a WSU Dining Services Cyber Cafe.
A WSU Instructional Support Services webcam is aimed at the building. See periodically updated photos of the construction at www.iss.wsu.edu, by clicking on the Web cameras link. General contractor Lydig Construction, of Spokane, offers photos of the project as it progresses at www.community.webshots.com/user/lydig930.
On the other side of campus, at the corner of Campus and Spokane streets, is White Hall, being remodeled into Scholars Hall. The project started this summer and is expected to be completed next spring, say department officials.
Constructed in 1928 as the Home Economics Building, it was dedicated as White Hall in 1960 to honor Mary Elmina White for her service to WSU and the state as a cooperative extension leader. In its current configuration, White Hall has classrooms, studios and offices.
After a $15.3 million renovation into Scholars Hall, the 57,700-square-foot building will become the latest WSU thematic student residence. With living space/suites for 117 Honors College students, the hall will include recreation, computer and study rooms. It will also include Honors College offices and classrooms, a lounge and a library.
Facilities Development personnel oversee the master planning for each of the four campuses and facilitate the planning, design and construction of major capital projects, said Vickie Chalmers, the department’s finance administrative officer. They provide on-site inspection and coordination for construction projects, perform quality assurance/code compliance checks, and provide interior design and space management services along with a variety of other services.
“Our department currently manages roughly half a billion dollars worth of projects in different stages of planning, design and/or construction. We try to assure that projects are completed according to program, on schedule and within budget,” she said.
