An update to West Virginia State University's development plan, delivered to Board of Governors members Friday, has identified needed renovations and upgrades on campus, including $12 million in deferred maintenance. It also proposes several modest changes to the campus layout, like expanding the university westward.
The plan, prepared by ZMM Architects and Engineers after focus group meetings with students, alumni, faculty and staff, calls for roofing, heating and air-conditioning repairs on several buildings and even suggests moving some facilities to more appropriate buildings. While it identifies potential for new buildings, that doesn't mean the university has plans to break ground on anything yet.
"Nothing is definite," said Tom Susman, the board's institutional advancement committee chairman, "but it gives us a target to shoot for."
The plan, which identifies potential locations for a welcome center, student recreation complex and another residence hall, is still in draft form. Board members are expected to OK the plan next month so it can go to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission for approval at its spring meeting in March.
"Nothing has to be developed now," said Adam Krason, who presented the plan to board members, "but you need to be planning for your future."
WVSU has grown under the leadership of President Brian Hemphill. Since joining the college, he has overseen enrollment growth, expansion of academic programs and, most notably, the construction of a $25 million residence hall. He's pledged to expand further and has made enrolling 4,000 students by 2020 an institutional goal. West Virginia State currently has about 3,200 students.
While Krason said the addition of new buildings is something that could be included during the plan's drafting process, it suggests mostly minor changes to the campus. Some of those changes include creating the welcome center, improving signage and defining a main entrance to the campus.
It also calls for redefining the university's perceived boundaries by altering the main loop around campus, which traffic flows through. This would require closing off much of Barron Drive, which makes up the western border. It's new use would be for pedestrians only, and Avenue A would become the university's new western border.
Krason didn't suggest any major changes to campus, but he said one building's future is uncertain.
"Sullivan Hall has the biggest question mark in the plan," he said of the 1969 dormitory, which was all but replaced by the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall last year.
The building, which now is being used for overflow housing and administrative offices, needs repairs to its elevators and heating and air-conditioning system. It also needs interior renovations. Krason said the university could sink tens of millions in bringing the building up to date, but noted that might not be the best investment.
Board members discussed using Sullivan Hall for offices or classroom space, but there isn't yet a plan for the underutilized building. Krason said he doesn't recommend tearing the it down, though.
Board members will look at the plan again at their January meeting.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.