CONSTRUCTION UNDER WAY ON POLYTECHNIC BUILDING

Southeast Missouri State University's Otto and Della Seabaugh Polytechnic Building is beginning to take shape on the north end of the campus.

Construction workers from Brockmiller Construction of Farmington are erecting the steel framework for the three-story, 58,000-square-foot building.

"The steel is over half done," said John O'Malley, project manager for the university. The steel work began about four weeks ago. O'Malley said the frame should be in place by the end of the month.

The $8.5 million project is scheduled for completion next June and is slated to open for the 2001 fall semester.

The construction work has gone largely unnoticed by the public because the site is screened by trees and other buildings. It is just west of the Greek Housing area.

As part of the project, the Greek Housing dining hall will be incorporated into the new building. The brick structure has been gutted in preparation for the new construction.

Two of the three floors of the new structure will tie into the two-story dining hall. The third floor will extend above the existing dining hall.

The polytechnic building will feature a buff, brick exterior and "a lot of glass," said O'Malley who works for the university's facilities management department.

A large, dome skylight will extend across the top of the building. "They are bringing lots of natural light into this thing," he said.

The entrance to the building will be from the northwest corner of the structure in front of Greek Drive. The entrance will feature a plaza area, O'Malley said.

The project began last fall with some utility work and demolition of Building E, a former residence hall in the Greek Housing complex.

Construction proceeded in earnest, beginning this spring, he said.

Once the steel work is done, construction crews are scheduled to begin pouring the floors around mid-August.

O'Malley said the building should be under roof by November. That would allow for interior construction work to proceed throughout the winter months.

The project includes construction of a small parking lot to the northeast of the structure.

BSI Constructors of St. Louis is managing the construction project under a contract with the university.