Drywall and lifts litter the construction site as interior walls are put in place at Hoover Hall. KALEB VANARSDALE / THE DEPAUW
Although Hoover Hall’s finishing date seems far away, the building is coming along rather quickly.
The brick masonry was just completed. The mason is still on campus working on the granite below the windows and at the base. Almost the entire bottom layer of the slate roof is done, and the slate roof itself will be installed when the weather is nice enough to allow it. The application of drywall on the inside of the building has begun in the main dining hall and the east and west wings. The mechanical and electrical systems as well as the equipment are being installed in the inside of the building.
“We’re thorough about the areas where we think timing and budget would be at most risk, so we think we’ll hit it,” said Brad Kelsheimer, the vice president for finance and administration.
“So far the team has done a really good job of anticipating the next challenges coming up and being able to find good solutions that don’t stop progress,” said Project Manager Warren Whitesell.
But that is not to say that building Hoover Hall has been easy or simple.
“There’s a host of very specific details in the building, so making sure that all of those details and all those materials line up with each other is probably one of the larger challenges,” Whitesell said.
Some students think these challenges may be too hard to overcome in time to finish the building by the scheduled date.
“I think it’s a really cool idea that we’re all going to be able to come together and eat together in a big open setting, but I do have my concerns, like most DePauw students, about whether or not it’s going to be done on time,” first-year Emily Green said.
The building is scheduled to be finished on Oct. 31, 2016. But there is still plenty of work to do.
In March, the construction crew will build the steps from Burkhart walk to the west side of the building. There are some underground storm structures that need to go in on the west side. There are also some underground electrical units that need to be installed. Inside the building, the drywall will continue to be built. Then, the wood trimmer will start after the air systems are working.
But after all the work is done, the building should pay off.
“The functionality of the building will be so much better than what students are used to,” Kelsheimer said.
Kelsheimer believes that the building has potential to shape the future of DePauw's campus and community, including not just students, but faculty and staff as well.
“Having a place where faculty can be together and have events and just eating together will be a culture change for this campus,” Kelsheimer said. "“It’s been a positive experience even relative to other construction."
Despite the extra time that will be put into renovating the Union building and the areas around it to turn it into the plaza after Hoover's construction is completed, the campus will have a new place for people to meet.
“When you have the new wall of the old Union building built, the Hoover Hall building, the plaza, I think it will be a really inviting place, and the hope is that the DePauw community will want to gather there,” Whitesell said.
Those who wish to see more of Hoover Hall can go to DePauw's website and watch construction through cameras. Students may also schedule a time to take a tour inside the building.
“When you’ve seen the outside of it, the inside of it is equally impressive,” Whitesell said.