Taking the next step forward
Student Center staircase set for spring renovation
By Ariel Bravy/ Student Publications
Auxiliary Services tested a new tile and bracing system on one set of stairs in the Student Center(left) to test durability before using the tile to renovate all of the old stairs (right) over this spring break.
Auxiliary Services announced it will be renovating the main stair case in the Student Center over spring break. “It is a 36-year-old building, so the Student Center is really in need of refurbishing. Its finishes are old and dated,” said Rosalind Meyers, associate vice president for Auxiliary Services. “We are trying to bring the finishes from the Student Center Commons to the Student Center.”
Since the first floor renovation is complete, Meyers said the next logical step is to do the stairwell. Additionally, the current stairs are against fire code because they have too large of gaps between the rail bars.
“We are going to be covering all of the stairs with tile and are putting in brushed aluminum handrails like those in the Student Center Commons,” Meyers said.
The new handrail system is completely made out of metal. The total cost of the project, including both the stairs and the handrail, is approximately $500,000.
The project is expected to create some disruption, however most of the welding is scheduled to occur over spring break. “It is going to create a lot of noise and disruption, that is why we are starting it over spring break,” Meyers said.
Due to large traffic flow, there is never a convenient time to renovate a place like the Student Center, according to Meyers,
“When you renovate a place like the Student Center there is no convenient time,” Meyers said. “We are going to do as much as we can over break, but there will be continued disruption when the students get back. We apologize for it in advance.”
Auxiliary Services put in a sample section of tile on the stairs in front of the Student Center Box Office over a month ago to ensure that the tiles would not break from use. “There have been no problems with the sample section,” Meyers said.
Meyers said this project will set the stage for the renovations on the second and third floors. “Once the handrail system is on the second and third floors, then they will seem more dated than they do now,” Meyers said.
Meyers said this effort is a way to help students enjoy the building more. “We want the Student Center to be something the students can be proud of and visitors can be impressed by,” Meyers said.
