SEMO RENOVATION CLOSES TWO STREETS

Major renovation work on Southeast Missouri State University's oldest building -- the Social Science Building -- has closed sections of two campus streets and turned them into dead-ends.

The closing of Cheney and Circle drives has eliminated 120 faculty and staff parking spaces. Those streets will remain closed for the next 18 months, university officials said.

The opening of the new College of Business Building this month will provide about 400 parking spaces and free up spaces around Academic Hall that previously had been used by the business faculty.

But Al Stoverink, facilities management director, said motorists would be advised to park in the visitors parking lot on Henderson Street rather than fight for parking spaces behind Academic Hall.

A small section of Circle Drive has been changed from one-way to two-way to allow traffic to enter and exit from Henderson.

"People can drive up behind Academic Hall and make a circle immediately behind the auditorium," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president.

Circle Drive is closed on the east end from Normal to west of the Social Science Building.

"There is still handicapped parking near the Serena Building. There are a few faculty and staff spots and then some regular visitor spots with 30-minute parking along the drive between Academic and Memorial Hall," Wallhausen said.

Cheney Drive, just north of Circle Drive, is closed to through traffic from in front of the facilities management building to Brandt Hall.

The area is crowded with campus buildings. It has been one of the more congested areas of the campus for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

"It is not going to be convenient, but we will try to accommodate the public up here," Wallhausen said.

On Monday, the university had a person at the barricaded east end of Circle Drive to direct traffic.

The university plans to put up informational signs, Wallhausen said.

The Social Science Building sits close to the edge of Circle Drive. On Monday, a fence was being constructed around the building.

The 94-year-old building will be gutted and replaced with a whole new interior.

Even the roof will be replaced. Only the exterior limestone walls will remain from the original structure.

Built in 1902, the building predates Academic Hall. The Social Science building housed classes from 1903 to 1993.

The university closed the building three years ago because it didn't have the money to renovate it.

State lawmakers appropriated $4.2 million in the fiscal 1997 budget to renovate the structure. The project is expected to be completed by January 1998.

Stoverink said the construction site will be fenced off for safety reasons and to provide a staging area for construction crews.

"We wanted it to get in place before school started." he said.

The construction work will involve a large crane that will lift off the roof and lift and lower materials inside the shell of the structure.

Stoverink said some work to remove asbestos and lead paint could begin next week.

Bids will be open Aug. 16 for relocation of utility tunnels around the site. Work could begin in October to gut the inside of the building.