ALEXANDRIA NIEVES
Special to The Leader
Have you seen the building with no walls or windows? That’s Houghton Hall. Or at least what’s left of it.
Houghton Hall has been on the campus for 50 years. It is now being renovated and will be finished in late fall of 2021.
Last spring, University President Virginia Horvath told the Fredonia campus community about the renovations
that were going to be happening within the campus pertaining to Houghton Hall.
“The current renovation plans will provide new spaces for Physics, Geology, and Computer Science,” said Markus Kessler, the Director of Facilities Planning.
“I personally never got to work in there, but I know [most] of my geology classes were originally in there. I hope they return there [be]cause Jewett is a little run down,” said junior earth science adolescence education major, Ronald Nissen.
Holly Lawson, the Director of the Science Education Partnership serves as the project’s shepherd.
“ . . . I have been involved in all
aspects of the planning, design and
now the construction of the new Science Center [and Houghton Hall]. My primary responsibility is to act as a liaison between the ‘users’ and the design and construction teams,” said Lawson.
The construction was necessary due to
the presence of harmful materials within the building.
“They had to do all of that construction due to asbestos. It’s just alarming that when the guys were initially tearing it down they were in suits, gloves, and masks. [While] everyone [is] walking [around] because [it] was supposed to be fine,” said senior social work and criminal justice major, Samantha Herman.
Students, faculty and staff were safe from all smells and debris because there are air monitors surrounding the building.
The monitors have a filter inside that is removed daily and then analyzed to make sure that no harmful materials are being released.
Despite the fact that Houghton Hall was closed throughout all of last semester, it seems that much of the construction and changes were made throughout the summer.
“The interior demolition and hazardous material removal was completed in July and the exterior envelope reconstruction is well underway,” said Kessler.
Some of the new additions that are being added to Houghton Hall are teaching and research laboratories, computer teaching labs, the Stanley Museum Lab, fabrication lab, conference rooms, student lounges, faculty offices and an administrative suite.
“As for how faculty and staff are responding to the renovations, from my understanding, the response has been positive,” said Kessler.