The old engineering building will be getting an update this semester. In an email sent Thursday, Aug. 26 to all faculty, staff and students Senior Capital Projects Manager John Amitrano announced that a set of rooms in the old School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management building will be renovated during the fall semester. 

Rooms 119-122 will be renovated by Capital Projects and Amitrano said they are scheduled to be completed by Jan. 1, 2022. 

Amitrano’s email did not specify what specific renovations would be taking place, but engineering students and juniors Ian Sagers and Nick Courtney liked the fact that the engineering rooms were being renovated and they had an idea of what they wanted to see.

“Honestly it’s [the renovations] nice because those are mostly lecture [rooms] that are a little outdated,” said Sagers. “A lot of those rooms still have chalkboards, some of the seats aren’t extremely comfortable or convenient to sit in while taking notes so I think the renovations will make the lectures a lot more enjoyable.”

Sagers said he wanted to see the chalkboards specifically be replaced with whiteboards.

Courtney agreed.

“Some people obviously like the chalkboards, but the whiteboards are a little bit nicer for writing different things,” said Courtney.

Courtney said he also wanted to see the rooms get new computers because he felt they were outdated.

Amitrano said during the renovations there would be the following changes:

“The East Corridor of the old engineering building, including the East Corridor Men’s Room, will not be accessible and barriers and signage will be erected; egress to the first floor east corridor from room 124 will be restricted to emergency exit only (a sign in the east corridor will relay that message); and occasional noise associated with fastening and cutting may be heard, to include the use of Powder Actuated fastening systems.”

Occasional noise is to be expected for short periods of time over several days in early September according to Amitrano.

In regard to the occasional noise during renovations, Sagers said “We’ll live with it and in the long run we’ll appreciate it.”

“I’m just looking forward to having an even better engineering facility,” said Sagers. “I know we just got the new lab building but having an even better lecture building is going to be great.”