At Youngstown State University, there are several projects currently underway that involve new additions and renovations to the campus.

Rich White, director of planning and construction at YSU, said that there’s a little bit more going on this summer in regard to construction.

One of the bigger projects is a $1.7 million pool renovation in Beeghly Center.

“We’re renovating the pool. The entire pool. Over the years the pool deck was bad,” White said. “It’s a concrete deck with tile over it. The concrete was bad because of all of the moisture. We’re replacing the pool deck, we’re upgrading the lighting and some other interior stuff. Also we’re replacing the entire full plumbing system. Filters and pipes and everything associated with that is getting all changed out. That’s a pretty big job.”

The university is also replacing the concrete on the plaza deck outside Beeghly Center.

Across campus at Ward Beecher, there’s a $1.4 million biology lab project and a $1.2 million public space renovation project.

White said the biology lab suite on the third floor of Ward Beecher has been gutted and is being redesigned. Every floor on the south side of Ward Beecher is getting its public spaces refreshed. He said the north side of the building was done last year. All of the restrooms in Ward Beecher are also being renovated.

“There’s a lot of work in Ward Beecher that’s been needed to be done for awhile so it’s good that we’re getting to it,” he said.

White said the recent digging on Wick Avenue is for installation of a tunnel system that will go from Bliss Hall all the way past the McDonough Museum of Art. The tunnel will be used to run water lines that had gone bad and were difficult to repair. “We’re putting them in the tunnel so they’ll be easy to service. If something goes bad, it’s easy to get in there and fix it,” White said. “It’s about a $1.2 million project.”

Wick Avenue, which was extensively refurbished last year, is again a dusty construction scene this summer due to the installation of a tunnel system from YSU’s Bliss Hall to the McDonough Museum of Art. (Metro Monthly electronic image by Tanner Mondok) Construction work continues on Wick Avenue in front of YSU’s Bliss Hall. (Metro Monthly electronic image by Tanner Mondok)

Another campus project includes the renovation of the first floor of the Lincoln Building. “The lower floor of Lincoln has five classrooms in it and we’re refreshing all of those classrooms,” White said. “Carpet, paint, lights. That kind of stuff.”

There’s also maintenance occurring in the parking decks on campus. White said these repairs are done annually and will cost around $800,000 this year.

One of the more noticeable projects at YSU is the construction of the new student housing building, the Enclave, and a new student primary care health center operated by Mercy Health. Both projects are located on the west side of Wick Avenue between Lincoln and Rayen avenues.

The Enclave is a privately developed student apartment complex, which will also feature retail space. It is set to open at the start of the 2018 fall semester.

The Enclave, a privately developed student apartment complex, is currently under construction on Wick Avenue. It is set to open at the start of the 2018 fall semester. This image is looking south into the interior of the complex. (Metro Monthly electronic image by Tanner Mondok)

Eddie Howard, vice president for student affairs, said the student health center in Kilcawley House was no longer adequate, so the new health center will be a welcome upgrade.

The new facility will be larger and have a full-time doctor, nurse practitioner and physician’s assistant on staff. The center will have a pharmacy and offer psychiatric services. It will feature two waiting rooms – one for the public and one for students. YSU faculty and staff will also be able to use the health center’s services.

Howard said that if students don’t have time or health insurance, having an upgraded health-care facility will eliminate some of those issues. He said that the new center will be a positive for the community to have a wellness center within walking distance of downtown.

Services will be provided to students through a semester fee. The health center is currently set to open in January 2019.

According to White, other campus projects currently under consideration include a new university tennis center located west of Fifth Avenue, a club sports field across from Cafaro House, replacing the current tennis courts with a parking facility, phase two of renovations to Meshel Hall, and an expansion of physical therapy on the lower level of Cushwa Hall.

White said that a lot of the projects the university undertakes are planned out over two to four years. He said that YSU does the bulk of their work during summer because that’s when the students are gone.

“We’ve got 95 to 100 day projects and typically we’re trying to get five or six months worth of work in that three months,” he said. “It’s pretty hectic but it’s pretty nice to see the change.”

When deciding on what to work on, White said that deferred maintenance is a factor.

“Deferred maintenance is things that need to be done but for whatever reason you can’t get them done,” he said. “Either you don’t have the money, you don’t have the time or you don’t have both.”

White said that YSU has a big backlog of deferred maintenance because of the square footage of the university.

“We’re always trying to put our capital dollars towards getting that deferred maintenance,” he said.

White said that the immediate deferred maintenance backlog that they want to try and get done will cost around $200 million.

He said that the university receives about $10.5 million from the state every two years for construction projects.

“So you have a problem this big but you only have this much to take care of it. You’re almost kinda fighting a fire,” White said. “O.K., where’s the hot spot, O.K., we’re going to go here.”

Youngstown State University

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