Construction focus shifts to interior
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New stone and windows near the
the main entrance of the CUB.
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The sounds of clanging hammers and whining saws are slowly being replaced by the ‘swishing’ of brushes and dabbing of caulk as renovation projects at the Compton Union Building gradually shift from exterior construction to interior design.
While no areas of the CUB are 100 percent complete, crews are in full swing to get the building ready for the August 2008 reopening.
“The third and fourth floors are nearest to completion with the walls up and painted,” said CUB Project Coordinator Travis Duncan. The second floor is framed and painting is in progress, he said.
Next in the interior project lineup are drop ceiling panels, lights, and cabinet work, carpeting and floor tiles, some of which can be seen taking shape in display rooms throughout the building, creating a modern feel with exposed ceilings and warm earthy tones.
Passersby may have begun noticing a tall concrete structure looming out of the ground on the north side of the CUB as the building’s new elevator and stair tower grows closer to completion. The tower will connect the north side of the campus to the first floor of the CUB. “It will truly make the CUB accessible from all four sides of the campus,” Duncan said. A second new entrance is also being added to the CUB
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New cabinets in a display room on
the
third floor of the CUB.
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ground floor that will allow access to the first floor of the Glenn Terrell Library.
Crews are expected to be finished with most of the $86 million CUB construction by late March 2008. The months following will be used for last-minute detail work and on-site setup for retail tenants, Duncan said.
With an added area of 30,000 square feet, the newly renovated CUB will have more lounge and meeting areas than the old building, as well. “When the CUB is completed it will once again become the primary ‘hang out’ and event location for the students and staff of WSU,” Duncan said.
Winter weather isn’t expected to slow crews down. “The exterior of the building is for the most part sealed up with new windows in place,” Duncan said. “The contractor will focus mostly on the interior of the building during the worst of the weather.”
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Construction worker installs stone pieces in the new west entrance of the building.
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Construction worker carries supplies up the
main staircase — one of the only elements untouched in the renovation.
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Crews pour concrete on the north stair tower. Stairs will be built around the tower as well as a bridge to connect to the first floor of the CUB.
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Metal studs cut for a
new
wall near the CUB west entrance.
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Workers sort material for recycling. Much of the scrap material that comes out of the site is recycled.
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New ceiling system on the third floor, includes lights as well as radiant heating and cooling panels.
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New raised seating system, acoustical ceiling and stage under construction in the CUB Auditorium.
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