To improve the quality of students’ lives, the administration invested over $3.75 million this summer in campus improvements and remodeling. Founders hall

Currently, the front of Founders consists of a dirt pit and some foundation bricks. This will become a terrace with a fully furnished gazebo and wireless internet access. The project is on schedule and set to be completed by Oct. 1, said Dean for Campus Life Anne Lundquist.
The terrace is the first of five phases that Lundquist said will total $10 million. Also included in the first phase was the installation of an additional air conditioning unit for Founders hall. The total cost of the phase I project, including the new AC unit, terrace, and terrace furniture, is roughly $1 million.
Future phases will involve the installation of an atrium in the Founders common area that will improve natural lighting and broaden “circulation and visual access to all three floors,” said Ty Buckner, Director of College Relations, in a summer newsletter. The lower level will also be remodeled to improve office space, including the bookstore.
Students spoke with the architects and their desires came through, said Lundquist. Students expressed a desire for more open areas where the community could congregate.
“The terrace is going to be great,” said Lundquist. “There are not enough spaces for people to gather and hang out; now they will have that.”

The Underground

Founders hall has also seen the end of the indoor smoking area in the Underground. After conducting a survey last fall, the college has eliminated smoking in the corridor next to the Underground. Now it is a leisure area that will be complemented by a new Grill.
The new Grill is not yet open because the college must improve fire regulations, but Lundquist believes it will be ready by late Sept. Students can access the Grill through the meal plan and Quaker Cash.

Duke

Returning students will notice other changes as well. The $2 million Duke renovation, which included new carpeting, air conditioning units, wiring, walls, floors, windows, and furniture, was completed on schedule. Lisa Short, Administrative Assistant to the Physical Plant, reported that the progress made recently is not typical of Guilford activity: “We finally got the drive to make Guilford the best that it can be.”

Sidewalks

In addition to the more obvious building improvements of Founders and Duke, Guilford has improved the landscaping and sidewalks. Over the summer, several sidewalks were replaced for repairs or the need to provide more space in congested areas like the path running along Duke to Mary Hobbs.
Buckner reports that these paths cost $68,000. They give a larger sense of space, keep people from stepping off and wearing down the grass, and generally make it easier for students to get around in busy times of the day, said Lundquist.
A highlight of the new sidewalks is the sundial between King and Hege library. David Petree, Landscaping and Grounds Manager, found that Jesse Copeland, a boarding student from 1880-82, funded the sundial, which was dedicated in 1958. The sundial has been integrated into the new sidewalk and creates a space where students can congregate, complemented by seating that the college will install once the sidewalk is complete.

Other Large Projects

The interiors of Bryan, Binford, and Marry Hobbs have been completely repainted, and total painting fees were $109,000.
A large project that may have gone unnoticed involved the replacement of windows in King, Bryan, the Alumni gym, alternative housing and rental properties, costing $248,000. These improvements are critical for three reasons said Short: “aesthetics, energy efficiency, and building preservation.”

New Residence hall

Future plans include the ongoing renovation of Founders and the construction of a new residence hall in the north end of campus between the Milner parking lot and the apartments. Contractors spent last week making bids and hope to complete the project as soon as the spring of 2005.
Lundquist and Short both want students to understand that the changes are not only being made to improve the school’s image and draw in more students, although that is certainly a factor. The school has put sizable investments into academic facilities like Frank and Duke recently, but now they want to work to improve non-academic life for the Guilford community, Short and Lundquist said. “It is going to be such an improvement for students,” said Lisa, “It is going to be unreal.