For the bulk of the past two weeks, the residency building known as Methodist Hall has been undergoing two maintenance updates and has been housing more than just students. Tools, machinery, equipment and a porta-potty have taken residence outside the student housing.
What exactly are these construction jobs, and where are they taking place?
A new drain is being installed, and updates to the gutter system are also being performed. The projects are taking place on the north/northeast sides of the building in the space between Aduddell Fitness Center and the housing complex.
External flooding issues have become a concern, as water is also starting to make its way into the building.
While talking to The Campus recently, Casey Kreger, the Senior Director of Residency and Student Life, provided insight on the situation.
When the building was constructed, water leaked into the mechanical rooms which house various mechanical systems.
Over the years, the water damaged some of the systems, which were very costly and had to be replaced.
“While other efforts have been taken to seal off and redirect water to other areas, installing a drain in this area between Methodist and Aduddell is vital to ensure the building functions as needed, sustains the lifecycle of equipment, and maintains an environment where students can succeed within the building,” Kreger added.
Flintco Construction was contracted by the university to handle the installation of the new drainage system.
The company was founded in 1908, and it prides itself on its spirit of collaboration and commitment to excellence.
The company also has ties to Native American heritage; their founders were a part of the Cherokee Nation.
The company that is tending to the gutter issue is Mid-America Roofing and Construction.
So, what do students who live in Methodist Hall have to say about the construction?
When asking at least twenty students, it became evident that feelings towards the construction depended on what section of the building they resided in. A common retort was that the noise of work conducted early in the morning is rather loud.
More than half of the student residents who provided thoughts communicated that there wasn’t too much inconvenience added to their daily lives except for the fact that a side door on the north side of the building had been closed off.
Studying or completing homework with peace and quiet are two things that could very well be compromised with loud construction taking place outside of a student’s residency.
However, none of the students who supplied statements addressed a concern stemming from it being too loud due to the noise from the job sites.
A concerning statement was made by two OCU student-athletes who utilize Aduddell. According to the students, the drinking water inside the fitness center seemed compromised during the construction job process. The water suddenly and unexpectedly tasted unpleasant.
The on-campus Facilities Department is the umbrella overseeing the timeline and the process of the construction job.
A maintenance service ticket was created for the project, and then the department handled the process of gathering quotes from various contractors interested in lending their services.
When should student residents of Methodist Hall expect the jobs to be completed and for things to return to normalcy?
Unfortunately, with matters of construction, there is no clear timeline for when jobs are going to be completed.
With various job sites, there are unforeseen circumstances including but not limited to–issues with supplies, weather, variables with the project itself, and even troubles with crew member availability or safety.
Upon completion of these work orders, the mechanical systems of Methodist Hall will no longer be at risk of being ruined by flooding.
Damage to various maintenance systems such as heating and cooling units would very well be more of a headache for residents than the current preventative construction work that is taking place.
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