Construction Update

August 13, 2001

August 13, 2001, Greencastle, Ind. - Students who return to DePauw University for the 2001-02 school year will see that much has changed since they took their last set of final exams in May. Work continues on a new art building, a renovation of Roy O. West Library, and an expansion and renovation of Julian Science and Math Center.

It was hoped the library project, which is putting a Georgian style facade complete with columns and a pitched roof on the building, would be completed before the start of the fall semester. But crews have had to wait for finished limestone lentils, keystones and window sills to arrive, as it took longer than expected for those pieces to be produced. They are to be [DOWNLOAD VIDEO: "Smaller Pieces" 1701KB] [DOWNLOAD AUDIO: "Smaller Pieces" 92KB] "inserted around the windows, and we want to get all of the limestone in before we replace those front windows," reports Neal B. Abraham, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. So, we need the crane there to lift the limestone up."

Abraham says it's now hoped that the library work will be finished by the first week of September. So crews will still be on hand in the academic quad when the semester begins, [DOWNLOAD VIDEO: "Work Rules" 2139KB] [DOWNLOAD AUDIO: "Work Rules" 115KB] "but we're telling them they have to be at least low noise, if not low effort during class periods," says Dr. Abraham.

"So, for the first two weeks of classes we're saying 'work late afternoon and evening, work weekends."' The library's new front entrance should be available for use by the first week of September. In the meantime, the building can be accessed via the loading dock on the south side of the library.

Meanwhile, work continues at Julian Science and Math Center on a project that will add 120,000 square feet of new space, then renovate the 120,000 square feet of existing space in the building. [DOWNLOAD AUDIO: "Julian Schedule" 83KB] "We hope to have the new part roofed out before winter summer Abraham says. And then we'll begin a shuffle of departments moving out of sections of the old building into the new building, renovating those sections and then shuffling again, then renovating the last sections and finally sprawling into the new space."

The multi-phase project should be wrapped up in two years. It will eventually house the new national eLearning center, which is being created with the assistance of a $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment.

For a three dimensional, animated look at what the new Julian Center will look like, click here: [DOWNLOAD VIDEO: "Julian Animation" 460KB] .

A building to be dedicated to the teaching and creation of art is just starting to take shape, as workers are pouring footings and doing foundation work. Located just behind (west of) Julian, the art building is slated to open next year. [DOWNLOAD AUDIO: "Art Building" 43KB] "The hope is to have the frame completed and roofed before the worst part of the winter so they can do inside work," Abraham says.