The Ohio University Board of Trustees will vote on two capital improvement resolutions today — one regarding plans to renovate university housing and the other dealing with deferred maintenance projects.
After hearing presentations on both topics at yesterday’s Resources Committee meeting, the board will ultimately choose whether or not to approve further spending on the already sizable deferred maintenance bill.
The cost of OU’s current deferred maintenance projects totals $480 million, split between $340 million for general fund buildings such as classrooms, and $140 million for auxiliary buildings such as residence and dining halls.
One resolution would approve several construction projects and authorize the development of construction documents, the receiving of bids and awarding construction contracts on those plans.
The projects, which will cost about $21.3 million total, include the compost facility expansion, Nelson Dining Hall renovation, Bromley Hall renovations, West Green landscape and infrastructure renovations, Sargent Hall casework refurbishment, Voigt Hall electrical upgrade and a Gamertsfelder Hall fire alarm replacement.
The other resolution would authorize OU to enter into design contracts for phases one and two of its housing development plan.
Residential Housing will need $205 million for the first two phases of the 10-year housing plan — with $145 million of that amount from debt issuance, according to the board’s agenda.
Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Harry Wyatt estimated the cost for a designer to be less than $5 million.
Hiring outside design help, even for small projects, is standard procedure, said Wyatt, adding that the size of the job adds to the necessity to use outside help.
“The board is always concerned with any resolution that approves funds,” Wyatt said. “We’re asking for the board to pass this resolution because it’s such a large project.”
Despite the additional cash, there has been a necessary amount of planning that has gone into phases one and two of the Housing Development Plan thus far, said Robert Kidder, the board’s vice chair.
“There has been a comprehensive process that has gone through with this,” Kidder said. “A very thorough and thoughtful almost yearlong process … to look at the way in which we solve the deferred maintenance issue.
“As a result of that, I think the trustees are certainly comfortable with the approach, so I would move that we could move forward for its approval unless anyone has any objections.”
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