Goolsby Chapel, one of many ongoing construction
projects, is scheduled for completion in October.

Campus construction projects progress

UNT has seen its share of bulldozers, broken concrete and workers in hard hats over the past year. Construction on campus has caused entire departments to relocate and students to find alternate routes to class. But, most projects are almost finished, and faculty, staff and students will soon enjoy an improved campus.

The new Gateway Center is on schedule to be completed during the Fall 2001 semester. The 116,000-square-foot building will house 22 classrooms, a visitor's center, conference hall, offices and the hospitality management program training restaurant. During the week of Aug. 24, workers will install cooling towers that should support both the Gateway Center and the Coliseum.

The new sign at the corner of Avenue D and Interstate 35 will be complete once an irrigation system is installed and flowers are planted. According to A. Peter Giglio, the university architect, seasonal white pansies or begonias will surround the sign. Green Asian jasmine will then surround the white flowers. Although workers have completed the sign, they cannot plant the flowers until the weather cools.

Construction on the new Goolsby Chapel, located on Maple Street, should be finished in October. After the building's brickwork is completed, workers will begin roofing and then putting up drywall and finishing the building's interior.

Work began on the Shrader Pavilion in mid-May and should end before Homecoming. The pavilion, which will be used for community functions and special events and as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff, was funded through donations. The pavilion's steel structure is being brought to campus in several large pieces that will later be welded together. The roof will then be added. Finally, workers will lay more than 1,000 engraved bricks that students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends purchased to support the pavilion's construction.

"The outpouring of support for this facility has been astronomical. It has been both an exciting and a challenging project to work with," says Richard Rafes, vice chancellor and general counsel, who has led the pavilion's development.

In addition to the new construction, some older buildings are being remodeled and refurbished.

Faculty and staff will begin moving back into the Speech/Drama Building Dec. 15, Harald McFarling, construction representative for the Physical Plant, says. The main sidewalks around the building will reopen Aug. 21, in time for the beginning of the fall semester. The work began last summer.

"The building has almost been completely gutted, with the exception of the theater," McFarling says. "Basically, it's been given a facelift, and I think everyone will like it."

McFarling also worked to prepare the Engineering Technology Building's basement for a lab to house equipment that Texas Instruments donated to UNT in 1998. Robert Wallace, professor of materials science and lab director, says the Laboratory for Electronic Materials and Devices should be fully operational by the spring semester. Students will use the lab to study state-of-the-art materials for microelectronic devices.

BY JENNY McCORMACK paiswri2@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Regents hear legislative appropriations requests
• Push is on to fill Fouts Field for game against Baylor
• Carnegie Foundation gives UNT highest designation
• 'Howdy Week' provides fun for students, faculty, staff
• Vehicle inspections have little impact, researcher finds
• Now students can choose academic theme floors
• New B.F.A. degrees approved
• Planning office surveys current, former students
• Answer line

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