June 18, 2007
Plans for a new chilled-water production and distribution plant, which will provide air conditioning to buildings on the east side of campus, appear to be moving forward once again.
The plant would allow the university to replace rooftop and stand-alone air conditioning units in east campus buildings with a less expensive, more efficient and more environmentally friendly cooling alternative. More than 75 percent of existing air conditioning units in that area are already at or beyond their life expectancy. Plans call for the plant to be built northeast of the Campus Life Building.
The project has been on the books for several years. It received earmarks of $7.7 million and $7.8 million from the state Capital Development Board (CDB) and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, respectively.
The work has been on hold, however, because the CDB money was frozen, but that agency now says it will release the funds if NIU can make up $3.9 million in additional costs now needed to complete the project (due to rising prices since the original approval).
Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations Eddie Williams told the Finance, Facilities and Operations Committee that the long-term benefits of the new plant are important enough that the university will be able to find the money within the Finance and Facilities budget to get the project done.
Design work on the plant is already 95 percent complete, and work on the plant could begin as soon as next summer.
In other news, the Finance Facilities and Operations Committee recommended board approval for the following projects:
Relocation of Public Safety – With the Speech and Hearing Clinic poised to move into the former Monsanto Building in Sycamore this fall, plans are in the works to expand Public Safety operations into the space that will be vacated by the clinic. The committee recommended approval of a budget of $475,000 to make necessary changes and upgrades to the space.
Demolition of GKC Theatre – The committee recommended that the board spend $50,000 to demolish the former GKC Theatre, located between West Lincoln Highway and Stadium Drive South (currently Parking Lot K). The university purchased the property in 2001, primarily to increase parking in that area, and had considered renovating the building. But it was determined that remodeling would be too expensive and that the building should be torn down. It will be replaced with a parking lot.
Design of a new NCAA track – The committee recommended that the board initiate the selection of an architectural and engineering firm to plan and estimate the cost of building a new running track for the women’s track team. The track is required to keep the university in compliance with Title IX rules.
The above proposals will be up for approval at the June 21 meeting of the NIU Board of Trustees.