Students return to see construction updates

Tess Peterson, Lamp staff

Anyone visiting campus this summer probably encountered construction crews at various spots. Workers have been fixing the parking lot, the Student Union and various classrooms. 

The three most noticeable projects this summer at LLCC are the parking lot paving, classroom renovations and flooring in Menard and Cass Gym, said Tim Ervin, a licensed architect on campus and the director of construction and environment, health and safety.

The parking lot paving and improvements mostly occurred on the Springfield campus.

“The entire drive lane and several areas of repair and replacement were completed to correct bad areas,” Ervin said. “There was also an additional rock paved parking lot that was paved with asphalt at the Taylorville campus.” 

Work was also completed on renovating five classrooms (three in Menard and two in Sangamon) over the summer, he said.

All the classrooms were finished with new furniture to help support a different style of learning and all were set up with flexibility and technology integrated to be Active Learning Classrooms (ALC’s).

Along with all of this, Ervin said the flooring in the Student Union (the seating area outside Quiznos and the bookstore) and the hallways in that area.  Improvements to the flooring in Cass Gym were made, too. 

Ervin said that all three projects were completed between the end of the spring semester and just before the upcoming fall semester.  

“The classroom renovations will likely have the biggest impact on the students,” Ervin said. “There will be different activities and ways to learn in the renovated classrooms. Integrating flexible furniture for students to collaborate and learn from each other in addition to the faculty is an exciting opportunity.”