By Laura Fitzgerald, For The Miami Student
Jackhammers and cranes dot Miami University's campus, as construction projects give a little attention to some long-neglected sites.
Shideler Hall
Shideler will provide a new home for the departments of Geology and Environmental Earth Science and Geography and the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability.
Shideler will also provide many new classrooms as seven registrar-controlled classrooms will be housed in the building. Registrar classrooms are classrooms assigned by the registrar office, not the individual department.
"I can tell you that almost every Miami student will at some point take a class in the new Shideler Hall," said Connie McCarthy, project manager.
Shideler's infrastructure had fallen out of date, and was unable to keep up with 21st century technology, said Elisabeth Widom, professor and chair of the department of Geology and Environmental Earth Sciences.
About $21 million will be provided to build Shideler by the State of Ohio, while another $4 million will be provided by the university, McCarthy said.
Reflecting Miami's architectural style, the prominent location of Shideler at the entrance of Miami's campus will provide a "gateway" to the university, McCarthy said. The façade will provide a picturesque background as visitors enter the university.
Shideler is scheduled to be completed by spring 2016.
North Quad
Another project is the renovation of North Quad, including Brandon, Flower, Hahne and Hepburn Residence Halls, and Martin Dining Hall.
The renovations will update student rooms, bathrooms, study spaces, kitchenettes, recreational and lounge spaces. Renovations will also include replacing the roofing, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, insulation and other infrastructure in the buildings, Project Manager Ted Christian said.
"The entire university benefits from improved facilities that have lower energy and operating costs, are safer, improve community interaction, and that also contribute to attracting the best and brightest students from around the world," Christian said.
Funding will come from both university funds and the sale of bonds.
The project is on schedule to be completed by August 2016.
Hayden Park
The baseball team will find its new home in Hayden Park, a string of coaches' offices, team rooms, training rooms and sports medicine facilities, built along the third baseline of McGee field, Project Manager Kevin Morris said.
The site is due to be completed by Sept. 10.
Bishop Woods
While most of it has already been completed, Bishop Woods received its own makeover this summer.
The major goal of the project was to recreate a mature forest ecosystem. That included removing invasive plant species and dead and diseased vegetation, and planting over 40 native plant species, University Landscape Architect Vincent Cirrito said.
New pathways, pathway lighting and a center lawn were already installed over the summer to allow students to gather in the space, rather than simply walk through it.
"Watching congregation occur in there is fantastic, it's what I was hoping for," Cirrito said.
The space also serves as an interactive classroom, as students can watch native plant species and the forest ecosystem grow and develop.
Installation of native plant species and clearing of invasive species is set to be completed by Oct. 31.
Whether it be from age or a need for new space, all those cranes and scaffolding will beautify Miami's campus as each building or park will receive needed attention.