SEMO University seeks $13.6 million in state funding to renovate Art Building

Southeast Missouri State University wants nearly $13.6 million in state funding to renovate the more-than-century-old Art Building, the second oldest building on the school's main campus.

University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto told the board of regents earlier this week the project is the school's top priority for capital improvements.

The funding request will be made to the governor's office of administration.

State funding for the project, however, is far from certain, school officials said.

Kathy Mangels, vice president of finance and administration, said the university has received state funding for capital improvement projects only twice in the last 10 years.

The draft of the capital improvements request identifies the building as "historically significant."

Built in 1902, the structure once housed art classes. Although it is still called the Art Building, art classes were relocated to the River Campus when it opened in 2007. Today, the building houses the foreign languages, anthropology and geography classes, and occasionally a political science or history class, university spokeswoman Ann Hayes said.

When it first opened, it included a swimming pool but it did not house art classes, according to information the Southeast Missourian obtained from the Center for Regional History in 2001.

The building has not had "significant renovation" in more than 40 years, according to a draft of the university's capital budget request.

"Natural deterioration of this building's structure and support systems has progressed to the point where refurbishment or replacement has become a necessity," according to the budget request.

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are outdated or inadequate for today's needs, the university said in the budget request.

The proposed renovation includes replacing the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, the roof and windows. The project would involve demolition of interior walls as well as remediation of potential asbestos flooring and lead-based paint.

A fire suppression system also would be installed, according to the funding request.

The building's stone and brick exterior would be cleaned, sealed and tuck-pointed as part of the project.

School officials said in the request the project would make the building more energy efficient and bring the classroom building in compliance with requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

It also would improve classroom space to meet today's teaching standards, according to the request.

School officials said in the funding request "significant structural deterioration has occurred over the last couple of years forcing the university to close two classrooms."

In February 2017, the university closed a classroom and an anthropology lab in the Art Building because of past termite damage to floor joists, the Southeast Missourian reported.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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