Construction took over the University of Nevada, Reno campus during the fall 2022 semester — with over 40 currently taking place. The most notable are the Gateway Parking Complex, E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center, Edmund J. Cain parking lot repair and the remodel of Building 058.
Cory Jennings, the Director of Construction Services for Facilities Services on campus, relayed the background of the ongoing construction projects along with the known time frames for the projects.
“The quantity and value of active construction projects is not drastically different from years past,” Jennings stated. “The work occurring between the Wiegand Fitness Center and the Joe Crowley Student Union is an emergency repair. If that project was anticipated, the work would not be executed during the fall semester.”
The Wiegand fitness center project started in August and is projected to finish in mid-October. Cain parking lot repair started in May 2022 and is projected to be completed by mid-October. The remodel of Legacy Hall began in June of 2022 and should be opening in the summer of 2023.
“It is the mission of the Facilities Services Department to maintain and improve the physical assets of our campus,” Jennings said. “It is our goal to execute this mission with minimum disruption to the academic process and operational needs of the campus community.”
The Wiegand Fitness Center needed an emergency repair due to a rupture in the building’s piping. The fitness center is heated from a central plant located east of the Ansari Business building where hot water is pumped from this location through underground piping.
Building 058 is a historic building that is in need of extensive repairs and renovation.It is located behind the Ansari Business Building. The building is undergoing the removal of hazardous materials and receiving modern mechanical and structural systems. The building is also going to feature updated architectural elements when it reopens.
Although there are a great variety of ongoing construction projects happening on campus, there are still some more projects to expect in the future.
Many students do not know the extent of the construction projects occurring on campus, as well as the need for the projects especially while many classes are in session.
Niko Bebis, a student at the university, stated that they are unsure of what the construction entails.
“I’m not really sure what they are building and it hasn’t affected me in any way, just sometimes it’s loud,” Bebis said.
Some upcoming construction projects to look out for are: roof repairs at the Fitzgerald Student services building, Hixon Park Softball Facility Renovation and the men’s locker room Renovation in Lombardi Recreation Center.
Madison Wanco can be reached at mwanco@nevada.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush
