Campuswide upgrades focus on student comfort, accessibility

In summer, the Lenoir-Rhyne campus in Hickory may look quiet, but there is a flurry of activity behind the scenes as crews improve and maintain the spaces where students live, learn and work during the school year. 

The most significant of these improvements is also the least visible. HVAC upgrades in Rudisill Library, Fritz-Conrad Hall, Mauney-Schaeffer Hall, the Rhyne Building, the Lineberger Building and Isenhour Hall completed over this summer, winter break and next summer will remove these buildings from the centralized steam system that has heated and cooled the campus for decades. These independent systems will put temperature control in the hands of each building’s occupants, increasing comfort and energy efficiency in these spaces.

“These projects are essential improvements for the campus. HVACs and new roofs don’t seem exciting, but they’re necessary for creating a more comfortable experience for students in the classrooms and dorms,” shared Jeremy Shreve, vice president of business and finance.

Funds for these projects have been generated primarily through public bonds, charitable grants and private donations.

“Maintaining a campus to provide the optimal experience for students is an ongoing process. Every piece of funding is another project, another improvement to benefit students,” said Shreve.

Many of the upgrades have happened in student housing, with facelifts for Price Village, Isenhour Hall and the University Park Townhomes. A complete guide to campus improvements appears below.

• Isenhour Hall: In addition to new windows and a new roof, Isenhour Hall’s interior is getting a total revamp with new carpet and flooring, new plumbing and fixtures in suite bathrooms and fresh interior paint. In-room heating and cooling units are scheduled to be installed as part of HVAC upgrades next summer.
• Rhyne Building: Partially funded by a grant from the Cannon Charitable Trusts, preparations began to install a new four-pipe HVAC system with independent units and climate controls in the Rhyne Building. During winter break, these upgrades will be completed and the building’s windows replaced.
• Fritz-Conrad Hall: Following cosmetic changes that have taken place during previous summers, Fritz-Conrad Hall got a new roof and new hot water heaters this year.
• University Park Townhomes and Price Village: Nearly every part of the exteriors of these student housing units have been refreshed with new siding and paint, plus new gutters on the rooflines. In addition, shutters were replaced on the townhomes. Price Village also saw landscaping improvements that include fresh grass and stonework, drainage upgrades and tree trimming designed to draw more sunlight into the space.
• Lineberger Building: The home of university administration installed new carpet and interior paint this summer. HVAC upgrades in Lineberger are slated for next summer.
• P.E. Monroe Auditorium: With a new roof in place, work begins on the first floor of the auditorium, where the restrooms will see a full renovation focused on comfort, convenience and accessibility, including the installation of an ADA-compliant family restroom. This project is ongoing through its scheduled completion in September.
• Mauney-Schaeffer Hall: In addition to a new roof, Mauney-Schaeffer Hall added new boilers, hot water heaters and a cooling tower to power the new HVAC system.
• Athletic facilities: Shuford Gymnasium and the Moretz Sports Complex were the last of five campus structures to get a new roof this year. In addition, the roof over the McCrorie Fitness Center was replaced, and the field house on the football practice field added a garage door for easier access.
• International House: As a location for multiple gatherings for international students, welcoming public spaces are essential. The rear patio will be replaced and upgraded with a firepit.