Summertime changes are beginning to be seen on campus.
Construction has begun on the first floor of Baker Center in preparation for the combined Bobcat Depot.
A small area of the first floor has been sectioned off to allow for preliminary construction to begin.
“What (students) are seeing is the relocation of a desk and computer stations that need to move before the actual work can take place,” said Katie Quaranta, a spokeswoman for the university.
Additionally, a TV has been removed from a wall in front of the Technology Depot, and construction workers have built a wall between Latitude 39 and Tech Depot.
The space will combine the current Bobcat Essentials and Tech Depot stores into a single retail space and aims “to further enhance the retail experience for all of Ohio’s students,” said Dan Pittman, assistant director of auxiliary sales, according to a previous Post article.
No construction has begun in the Bobcat Essentials space yet. Plans to expand Allen Student Help Center into the current Bobcat Essentials retail space will begin in the summer.
The entire project, including the Allen Student Help Center expansion, will cost $700,000 and is funded by university reserves, according to the March OU Board of Trustees agenda.
University College Dean and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies David Descutner said in a previous Post article that “the expansion will allow for more privacy for students seeking help from the center. The move also creates an opportunity to hire additional staff.”
Combining Bobcat Essentials and the Tech Depot will also combine their revenues.
Last year, Tech Depot made about $5.1 million, mostly from departmental and individual sales. Since fiscal year 2009, revenue from the Tech Depot have increased by about $1.8 million, or an average of $450,000 per year.
Bobcat Essentials made approximately $384,000 last year with an average increase of approximately $118,000 a year since fiscal year 2011.
@sethparcher
sa587812@ohiou.edu
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Construction begins for Bobcat Depot."
