Wayland's University Center getting facelift

Construction crews and maintenance workers continue to work on the Wayland Baptist University campus in preparation for what could be record enrollment in the fall of 2012. The last two years have seen an increase in student enrollment on Waylands Plainview campus, and indicators show that the 2012-13 school year may be no different.

In an attempt to meet the needs of the students, several projects are taking place at Wayland this summer, including the completion of Jimmy Dean Hall. Along with the dorm, the University Center also is being renovated to make it more accommodating to students. Also, the Wheeler Building will be remodeled to add locker rooms for athletics teams.

The new mens dormitory, which was officially named Jimmy Dean Hall at a special announcement March 22, will take the place of existing McDonald Hall, which has fallen into disrepair. Wayland officials looked at the cost of renovating McDonald Hall, but determined that bringing the aging building up to code would not have been cost effective. Vice President for Enrollment Management Dr. Claude Lusk said the cost per square-foot to renovate McDonald would have been more than the cost per square-foot to build the new dorm.

Dean Hall also will provide an additional 250 beds. The added space for male students will allow Ferguson Hall to revert to a womens dorm, accommodating the growth of Waylands womens population.

Construction of the dorm is taking into account green technologies in all electrical and plumbing fixtures. The outdoor area also will be ecologically friendly. The courtyard of the dorm features four collection pools and tanks that will collect rain water as it drains. The water then will be used to assist in irrigation around the structure. The dorm also will feature increased security, making use of coded keyless entry systems and other precautions.

Although McDonald Hall will not be used as housing next fall, the historic dorm is providing much-needed office space during the summer. As part of the renovation and remodeling plans, Waylands University Center has been gutted and will be reconfigured to become more user-friendly for students. Due to construction in the building, all of the offices housed in the UC, along with the university store, moved to McDonald for the summer.

The University Center renovations include an updated cafeteria, giving students easier access to food and drink stations. The long table seating will be replaced by more intimate round tables to better simulate a dining experience. While changing the seating structure will remove some seats, the cafeteria will increase the number of operating hours throughout the day, allowing more flexibility in eating times for students.

Other changes to the University Center will include the remodeling of the student lounge area. Petes Place, located in the basement, will reopen as a coffee shop, serving Starbucks products to students.

The area also will house a grill and a stage area with lighting and sound systems. The south portion of the basement will be turned into offices for student activities and student government.

The courtyard area also will be remodeled, and actions will be taken to control the bird population in the outdoor area.

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Wayland's University Center getting facelift