For immediate release
June 11, 2003

Don't let the physical resources crew hear you refer to summer as down time.

The 30 physical resources staff members at Abilene Christian University and several contract workers, whose jobs swing into high gear just as students begin their three-month hiatus, will be the first to tell you that summer is no break for them.

From residence hall bathroom remodeling to stain removal on the exterior of the Biblical Studies Building, physical campus projects abound during the summer months.

"We try to get as many of the major projects squeezed into this time frame as possible while the students are away," said Byron Patterson, director of physical resources. "We don¹t sleep much in the summer."

Residence hall improvements

       For Smith Hall, Nelson Hall and Mabee Hall, no bathroom will be untouched. Smith, a sophomore men¹s residence hall with individual bathrooms, will receive new plumbing, bathtubs, toilets, sinks and countertops. Mabee and Nelson, freshman men¹s and women¹s residence halls respectively, have group bathrooms ­ six in Nelson, 12 in Mabee. Their bathrooms will receive new ceilings, light fixtures, floor and wall tiles, bathtubs and showers. Nelson bathrooms will also have new privacy dressing areas installed in front of each shower.

   Bathrooms won¹t be the only parts of the residence halls to get a face lift. In Smith, each bedroom will get a fresh coat of paint and new carpet. The exterior of Smith, as well as Adams Hall ­ a sophomore women¹s hall connected to Smith by a shared lobby area ­ will be washed, sealed and painted with a new, updated color.

Other buildings

One of the most obvious projects, thanks to the ground-to-roof scaffolding, is the improvement of the exterior of the Biblical Studies Building. Currently, crews are replacing cracked grout in the joints of the 14-year-old building. The new grout is weather resistant and UV resistant. In about four weeks, after the joints and various other cracks have been repaired, a high-pressure sprayer with light, environmentally safe chemicals will be applied to remove the stains on the building.

In addition, the McGlothlin Campus Center roof is in the process of being replaced, and several panels in Moody Coliseum that have come loose are being refastened.

Ground work

Thanks to the switch last summer to effluent water, ACU¹s campus has never looked greener and more lush. Still, maintenance workers are finding ways to keep improving the look of the landscape.

New sod is being added to areas without a substantial amount of grass. Sections of ground behind the Mabee Business Building, the Biblical Studies Building and the McGlothlin Campus Center will receive new St. Augustine grass. Additional grass and fertilizer is being applied all around the Williams Performing Arts Center. Many trees are getting an extra dose of mulch around their base, and across campus new rose bushes and Crepe Myrtle bushes are being planted to add color to the landscape.

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