This year, University construction included five capital projects. Three of the five are renovations to Memorial and Bingham Halls and Avery Residence Hall.
In an email to The DTH, Finance and Operations Media Relations said Memorial Hall’s 20,000-square-foot roof was replaced due to severe leakage. The process began on June 20 of this year and was set to end in October.
Bingham Hall, which originally housed the Department of Communications, is undergoing renovations that are expected to continue until August 2025. The building is getting replacements to the HVAC system as well as replacements for the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems. Bingham Hall is also set to receive a partial roof replacement and window restoration. The interior will have a new floor plan.
Avery Hall is the most recent of the capital projects to begin. The Finance and Operations Facilities Services posted on their website that the project began this past fall, and is expected to finish in the summer 2025. Renovations include structural, mechanical and electrical upgrades.
New Construction
The other two capital projects on campus include construction of Steven D. Bell Hall and renewal of Carrington Hall.
Bell Hall is a new addition to the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. The final structural beam was placed on the building in April of this year, and utility work began in June.
Allison Adams, executive director of public relations and communications at the Business School, said in an email to The DTH that construction is proceeding on schedule, with a plan to have an opening ceremony in November 2025, and to begin classes in the new building in January 2026.
Finally, one of the biggest construction projects of the year is the renewal of Carrington Hall, including the complete demolition of the building's west wing and replacement with a Nursing Education Building. The building, which housed the UNC School of Nursing, began demolition in September.
Carol Durham, a professor at the School of Nursing, and the director of the Education, Innovation, Simulation, and Learning Environment said three floors will be dedicated to skill acquisition. She said one floor will be used to train nurse practitioners and patient interaction, and another for simulation training, including the use of Virtual Reality and AI.
“My initial reaction was happiness, relief, joy and excitement for the future,” Maureen Baker, clinical associate professor at the School of Nursing, said.
With the main nursing building under construction, faculty and students had to relocate to different buildings on campus for office space and classes.
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UNC senior and nursing student Aishah Faraj said that classes have felt very scattered and she struggles with finding study spots.
Jean Davison, a clinical associate professor at the School of Nursing, said it was difficult transitioning from everything being in one building to no longer having an office or classroom.
“Teachers are doing their best to help us learn as much as we can,” Faraj said.
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