While students were away relaxing this summer, construction workers were busy on the Hilltop, focusing on projects with renovations to Geisert Hall and the Sigma Kappa chapter house.
The biggest project was construction to the Geisert Hall restrooms on floors two through six.
Vice President of Student Affairs Nathan Thomas said it was the completion of a two-part project. Last summer, restroom floors seven through 10 were completed in the first stage.
Both the office and the lobby were renovated as well, according to Thomas.
“There’s a lot of aesthetic work that was done,” he said. “Everything in [the construction areas] is brand new, but there was even more [work to be done]… All of the restrooms and plumbing originally in the building were in need of repair and sprucing up.”
Thomas said Lovelace Hall is now closed, and Elmwood Hall is open as an ongoing project. For now, Elmwood features new furniture, carpet and paint.
As far as other campus improvements, Thomas said it was mostly regular maintenance.
“There are always things that get done throughout the summer, even little things like painting and groundswork,” he said.
Off campus, a significant renovation to the Sigma Kappa house took up most of the summer.
Corporation Board President Bert Zessin said the new look was in celebration of the chapter house’s 50th year, which is 2014.
“We wanted to give the house a Greek architectural appearance as seen on many campuses around the country,” Zessin said.
Business management and administration major and president of Sigma Kappa Sarah LaHood said the sorority could not be happier with the way the house turned out.
“It looks like a brand new house and has its own unique features that set it apart from the other sorority houses on campus,” she said.