Air conditioning project under way

An extensive heating, air conditioning and ventilation project for the Arts and Sciences Complex has been approved by the Board of Trustees and the renovations have begun

Early this month, the Ferris Board of Trustees approved a new heating and air conditioning project for the Arts and Sciences Complex.

The project entails the installation of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the Arts and Sciences Complex. This includes the Science and Starr Buildings, The Arts and Sciences Commons and G. Mennen Williams Auditorium.

Michael Hughes, associate vice president of the FSU Physical Plant, said the renovations are under way.

“The main focus at this time is the installation of underground utilities and the construction of the new building which will house the mechanical systems,” said Hughes.

However, the project will mean that several of these buildings will be closed down for parts of the summer.

The Starr Building will be closed for the summer and the Science Building will close after June 30. The Arts and Sciences Commons will remain open.

All summer courses that are offered in the College of Arts and Sciences buildings have been relocated across campus.

The entire Arts and Sciences Complex is expected to be ready on Aug. 23 for the fall semester.

Hughes said, “We received bids and were pleasantly surprised that they came in under budget.”

The project budget has been revised to about $5.9 million. This number is down from an originally estimated cost of $7 million.

Clark Construction of Lansing will serve as construction manager and Progressive AE of Grand Rapids will be the architectural engineer for the project. n