By Victor Dixon, Editor-in-Chief
Construction on Sacred Heart’s windows has been ongoing for the past several weeks and is estimated to be complete before next semester.
The Sacred Heart Revitalization Project will happen in phases and will address several deteriorating parts of the historic building, such as the windows and tunnels for heating and cooling. The project also will include the renovation and relocation of several offices, such as the Student Activities Center, to bring more of student life back to the heart of campus.
Sacred Heart Hall’s construction began in 1922 when its cornerstone was laid, making it more than a century old, and one of the university’s goals is to ensure that it remains functional and important for another 100 years.
The window renovations are supposed to add energy efficiency.
“They’re probably about halfway through taking the windows out and putting the windows in,” Vice President for Institutional Advancement Bob Beumer said. “The last part of it is another crew comes in and does the inside trim on the windows.”
Chief Information Officer and Operations Manager Icer Vaughan said he expects that the construction on the windows will be done by the end of 2024, although weather could possibly cause delays.
The construction on the windows, which started six weeks ago, has affected different offices and departments, but administrators have tried to minimize complete closures of the offices. Some departments have been displaced and employees have had to work in other locations in the building and on campus. Others have had employees temporarily work online from home.
The windows are the only part of the first phase of the remodel that is funded; the full phase will cost an estimated $10 million, and the windows make up one-fifth of that cost. The rest of phase one will address different infrastructure improvements in the building.
The majority of the funding is expected to come from donors. Beumer estimates that completion of the project will take around 4 to 5 years.
PHOTO: Dannicka McGrath, Photographer
