A significant portion of that funding includes $69 million over two years in asset preservation funds. To be matched by $17.3 million from UofL, this funding will enable the university to make major, much-needed repairs and upgrades to our facilities. Several asset preservation projects are already underway, thanks to the nearly $82 million the university received over the course of the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. Some of these projects may cause inconvenience to employees, students and campus visitors. University Operations assures that the project teams for each of these initiatives will do their best to minimize any disruption to routine traffic flow, parking, as well as building access and use.

Building occupants will be notified directly about impacts to parking and specific work areas. Updates will also appear in UofL Today. The following are dates and details for each project. For questions, contact Sajid Mian, assistant vice president for facilities management.

College of Business Roof: Replacement of full roof. Anticipated completion: June 2024.

Ekstrom Library Roof: Replacement of full roof. Anticipated completion: June 2024.

School of Music Comstock Acoustic Cloud: Upgrade of the acoustic cloud in Comstock Hall. Anticipated completion: July 2024.

Thrust Theatre Kiln Roof: Replacement of full roof. Anticipated completion: August 2024.

Ernst Hall Auditorium: Renovation of auditorium, including replacement of the stage, seats, flooring, painting and lights. Renovation of three restrooms. Anticipated completion: August 2024.

Schneider Hall HVAC: Replacing HVAC and electrical systems as well as old and damaged furniture. Anticipated completion: August 2024.

Life Sciences Corridor Refresh: Project will include renovation of Lab 212, update to restrooms on the first and second floors, and a refresh of lobbies and student-facing spaces with painting, flooring and new lighting. Anticipated completion: August 2024.

Speed Tunnel Repair: Replace steam and chilled water piping in the tunnel under Eastern Parkway, including an upgrade to the lighting in the tunnel. This project will also include structural repairs to the tunnel. Anticipated completion: September 2024.

School of Music HVAC: Upgrade HVAC systems, including replacing ductwork, air handling units and the controls system. System needs upgrade to provide the ability to control the humidity to preserve valuable musical instruments in the building. Anticipated completion: September 2024.

Natural Science Building: Project will replace the entire mechanical system, steam and chill pipes, radiators, ductwork, sheet metal, pumps, ceiling throughout, light fixtures, electrical switchgear and roof. Additional work will include replacing all windows, refreshing the main corridors with new floors, paint and signage. Anticipated completion: January 2025.

J.B. Speed Building: Replace HVAC, full electrical, lighting, exhaust fans and ceilings. Ductwork and piping replaced on the first and second floors. Refreshing restrooms on the first, second and third floors along with refreshing the corridors. Anticipated completion: January 2025.

Ekstrom Library Addition: This project is not part of asset preservation allocations. Rather, it is part of one of the university’s capital improvement projects. The addition will provide additional space for students to study and collaborate, office space and increase the archive space to preserve the history of the university and Commonwealth of Kentucky. The expansion will take place on the south side of the building and includes expanding the first, second and basement floors to extend out to the edge of the original footprint of the building. Expanded space will provide about 1,800 square feet to each of the three floors and the opportunity to realign and repurpose spaces. Anticipated completion: July 2025.��

The renovation, which began over the summer, will offer greater meeting space for the more than 400 recognized student organizations on campus, more and better dining options and common areas where students can socialize and study. The renovation is financed through private sources, facility funds and a $9.6 million agency��bond��funded by the current student activities fee.

Construction on the project has already begun. It is expected to be��completed in fall 2018.

“This expansion and renovation is part of a strategic effort to improve campus facilities — and the on-campus experience — for our 22,000 students,” Acting President Neville Pinto said during the ceremony. “By offering them more meeting and study areas, as well as better services and more social areas, we will improve their time on campus, which in turn will help us retain and graduate more students.”

In addition to Pinto, Board of Trustees Chairman Larry Benz, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Harlan Sands, Dean of Students Michael Mardis and Student Government Association President Aaron Vance spoke at the event. Each stressed the partnership between students and university leaders in completing and financing the project.

When Sands first arrived at UofL in 2015, plans were being developed for the renovation. He said the university listened to students’ concerns and helped develop a plan that addressed their needs.

“We listened, and we brought partners to the table to make this happen,” Sands said.

Vance, who thanked former SGA leaders who worked to make the renovation a reality, noted that the renovated SAC will be at the epicenter of the east side of campus, which is undergoing a physical transformation.��

“This side of campus is going to be nothing short of spectacular,” Vance said.

This is the first major renovation to the building since it opened in 1990. Mardis said the facility was transformative for the campus and that the building became the living room for campus, allowing students to congregate, dine, study and more.

The SAC is home to many of the university’s student services, including its Student Government Association, a number of dining venues and some small meeting rooms. It also houses the offices for the UofL athletics program.

During the renovation, the SAC remains open for use, though some of the areas will be closed at certain times.��

“It’s kind of like a jigsaw puzzle,” said Tim Moore, director of Student Involvement and the Student Activities Center. “As we’re able to finish a piece of the puzzle, we’re able to open that part of the building up and then close another part of the building.”

Updates on the renovation, including milestones, openings and closures, are available online.��

Moore added that��the new additions and increased space will be a benefit for students. The number of registered student organizations has grown from 260 about 10 years ago to more than 400 during the last academic year. And some of the larger events held by students have had to move off-campus due to space constraints.

“It will be the kind of place that will be more suitable for our student groups,” Moore said. “It will be a better place for the university community.”

East SAC updates

Construction began on the first floor on SAC East in June. Updates include:

• The former intramural offices and the racquetball courts have been demolished, and the new space is now offices and lab spaces for the Department of Health and Sport Sciences.
• The new campus bookstore is being built on the SAC’s east side facing Floyd Street. The new store will have an entrance from the street level on Floyd. The space is expected to be ready in December, when the bookstore will vacate its west SAC location.
• Construction of a Starbucks, scheduled to open in late spring, has begun on the corner of the building nearest the Floyd Street parking garage.
• Work on the plaza in front of the bookstore will continue into spring 2017.

West SAC updates

Work on SAC West will begin later this semester. Projected��timeframes��include:��

• PEACC and Health Promotion will move from the Student Services Annex later this fall into new offices on the third floor, which formerly housed the game room.
• The student services annex will be demolished and prep work will begin later this year to make room for the SAC expansion.
• After the bookstore moves to the new location in December, its former space on the west side will be converted into a new dining space that will open in fall 2017.

View more photos from the .��

Video from the ceremony is also available below:��