SEMO CAMPUS ONE BIG CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Southeast Missouri State University is a builder's dream.

The university has been "under construction" since 1993 and major construction projects continue to take shape on campus.

By the summer of 1998, Southeast will have completed about $40 million worth of construction projects in five years. Private contractors are doing most of the work.

The $11 million renovation of two of the high-rise residence halls in the Towers complex, the $15.8 million Dempster Hall business building and the $1 million shuttle bus storage and repair facility have been completed.

Other major projects slated for completion by next summer include renovation of the Social Science Building, upgrading of the power plant and construction of a facilities management service center.

The state has funded many of the projects.

"That is certainly a lot of money that comes into the local economy," said Al Stoverink, facilities management director at Southeast.

"If funding comes through on other projects, we could have a similar scope of construction over the next five years," he said.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, said the changes are part of the school's efforts to improve the campus and boost enrollment to 10,000 students.

Colleges must keep pace with consumer demand to stay competitive, he said.

The most visible project under construction is the $4.4 million renovation of the Social Science Building.

The building, the oldest on campus, is being gutted and renovated. When complete, the exterior limestone walls are all that will remain of the original structure, built in 1902.

Work on the project began in December.

Construction workers have installed angled, steel braces to support the outer walls so the interior floors and walls can be demolished. Even the roof will be replaced.

The project includes installation of an all-new electrical systems to accommodate today's computer needs.

The university closed part of Circle Drive behind Academic Hall because of the construction work, which has limited parking in the area.

The university closed the building, situated near Academic Hall, in June 1993 because of structural concerns that surfaced during installation of an elevator.

"It was really structurally unsound and we decided we couldn't occupy it," said Southeast's John O'Malley, who is overseeing the project.

Some of the flooring had deteriorated over the years from moisture and insects. "It was definitely a safety concern," O'Malley said.

The renovated building will house the political science and history departments. It will house seven classrooms, 28 faculty offices, two conference rooms, a student lounge with a vending area and a historic preservation project room.

O'Malley said it would have been shortsighted for the university to completely demolish the Social Science Building when the school has a highly rated historic preservation program.

He said it would have been costly for the university to have built an entirely new building with a similar limestone exterior.

"It is basically Cape Girardeau limestone," O'Malley said. "That was quarried here locally and they are essentially out of it."

Construction work has just begun to extend Greek Drive at a cost of over $200,000.

It will provide a one-lane exit from the north end of campus onto New Madrid near the Show Me Center. It also will include a lane for parallel parking.

Work is expected to begin next week on a $300,000 project to replace a utility tunnel that runs underground from Academic Hall to the University Center.

Stoverink said the construction work will require traffic changes on Normal Avenue. The tunnel runs under the street.

Eastbound and westbound traffic on the street currently are separated by a grassy median.

Stoverink said both lanes of traffic will have to be routed along one side of Normal and then the other as work proceeds.

The work will be done in phases over the summer. It should be completed by September, he said.

The existing utility tunnel, built in the early part of this century, is in poor condition, Stoverink said.

The old tunnel will be torn out and a new one built around the underground steam and water pipes, and telecommunications lines.

Southeast's storage and repair building for its shuttle buses was completed last winter. The million-dollar project was funded largely with federal money.

The university plans to build a $600,000 facilities management service center that would connect to the transit building at the Washington Street site.

Stoverink said the university hopes to award a contract in the next 30 days for construction of a shell building. It could be fall, however, before construction begins.

University crews will do the interior work once the shell building has been erected, he said.

Stoverink said the building could be in operation by next spring. "This would basically consolidate all of our operations other than the main administrative office and the power plant," he said.

"I think it will definitely make us more efficient," he said.

Other projects in the works include installation of informational signs on campus and construction of several high-tech classrooms in existing buildings.