Citizen Staff
Joe Kraynik, from Insulated Incorporated, sprays insulation on the inside wall near the front entry way of Wayland Hall on Monday. Wayland Hall is on schedule to be completed by its Aug. 15 deadline.
Wayland Hall is on schedule to be completed by its Aug. 15 deadline although the age of the building and past renovations have made that goal a little harder than planned.
"We have ran into a number of construction challenges," Wayland President Bob Esten said. "All of which they have been able to overcome."
Past renovation projects used some construction techniques that would not be used today, Esten said.
"There are things we couldn't anticipate because we had students living here," Esten said.
Wayland Hall, which is used as the boys' dorm, was occupied by students throughout the school year. The students moved to different parts of the building for the workers and workd was done while the students were in classes to allow them use of the dorms, after the renovations began in March.
Built in 1855, Wayland Hall was for a long time the only building on campus.
The building has seen many remodeling projects over the years but this will be the first major renovation since 1899-1900 when the chapel, music and art rooms were converted to dorm rooms.
In 1952 some remodeling was completed which included adding terrazzo flooring and stairs, ceramic tiled walls, new lighting fixtures and metal wardrobes.
The new design will have a main floor recreation room and lobby areas, 33 student residence suites (two two-person rooms which share a bathroom), five faculty residences, student lounges and study areas on each floor, a main floor staff office and a donor recognition wall.
"There was a complete interior demolition of the non-load bearing walls to create the reconfiguration of the rooms," director of facilities John Harris said.
The building will now be elevator accessible and will have keyless entry for staff and students.
The lower level and upper southern floors were worked on during Phase 1 of the $3.6 million project.
Phase two will involve the northern upper floors and will be done over the summer.
"Phase one is still going on," Harris said. "We're drywalling, taping, painting and putting in the light fixtures and plumbing. Phase two is about three weeks to a month behind phase one."
Outside there will be a new roof put on the building and the pillars will be touched up.
"We added interior stairwells and got rid of the fire escape," Harris said. "The landscape will be updated as well."
In addition, there will be all new cabling and wiring for communications for the Internet and phone.
"We have a fiber optic ring around the campus that all the buildings are tapped into," Esten said. "Wayland Hall will be both wireless and hardwired for the Internet."
Oscar J. Boldt Construction of Appleton is working on the project.
"It's a grand old building that Boldt is very happy to bring into the 21st Century," Boldt project manager Reed Rodenkirch said.
Esten said they plan to have the renovation complete before classes begin on Aug. 29.
A re-dedication and donor appreciation celebration will be held during Wayland's alumni reunion weekend on Oct. 17.
tpederson@capitalnewspapers.com