The construction fences in front of the Lillis Business Complex might be inducing headaches for bicyclists and pedestrians navigating East 13th Avenue, but they’re serving a purpose.
Both campus buildings Gilbert Hall and Chiles Center will undergo major renovations provided by private funds given to the University.
Crews are currently preparing Gilbert Hall for construction, which starts on June 14 and ends before spring term 2011, while Chiles Center renovations will start on June 14 and end on Sept. 15 in time for the academic year.
The total projected cost of renovations is $8 million; however, the University and the Lundquist College of Business received a $5 million donation in February for the project. The architecture firm SRG Partnership’s Portland location designed the plans and is
managing construction.
“(The money is) all being raised by the College of Business,” said Tony Saxman, the business school’s director of information services, technology and operations. He added that the college is close to finishing its fundraising but could not give exact figures at the time.
Built in 1921 and currently a part of the Lillis Business Complex, Gilbert Hall is being upgraded to meet modern building seismic standards and to hold more University classrooms and office space.
Gilbert Hall is currently closed because it is undergoing asbestos abatement.
The first and second floors of the Chiles Center will be redesigned to have a multipurpose facility for classrooms and meetings, a computer classroom with desktop PCs, and a state-of-the-art business research center that will also be available to other departments and outside agencies.
“It finalizes the visions that the Lillises had to make this a world class facility,” Saxman said, referring to the family whose name graces the complex.
Some students find the fences blocking Lillis’ courtyard and East 13th Avenue annoying.
“I just want to be able to sit out there (in the courtyard). It feels like they’ve set up construction a couple of weeks ago, and it looks like they haven’t done anything,” University sophomore Lindsay Ellingson said. Maybe it’s behind the scenes.”
University junior Neil Browning doesn’t mind the construction too much.
“I realize that something is being built, so it’s not that big of an issue,” he said.
The University is funding the renovations with a $5 million donation by 1955 University alumna Hope Anstett, who donated the money in memory of her late husband, Joseph. The University will rename Gilbert Hall to Anstett Hall upon completion of the renovations.
In 2001, the Anstett family donated $1 million to the University to construct Lillis Business Complex, after which the Anstett Family Accounting Suite was named. In 2008, Anstett established a $1 million scholarship endowment after her husband passed.
“I have very strong feelings for the University and the business college,” Anstett said in a University press release. “I thought this gift would be a good way to complete the Lillis Business Complex and provide a lasting memory of my husband. After I saw Peterson Hall, I knew what could be done with renovation.”
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Gift enables business building upgrades
Daily Emerald
May 19, 2010
Ivar Vong
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