The Daily Gamecock

Buildings and Grounds Committee gives glimpse of renovations to come

The University of South Carolina Buildings and Grounds Committee gave a glimpse of university projects still to come Friday by awarding its approval to several projects for buildings around USC's flagship campus.

Sandwiched between the university's Health Affairs and Student-Board Liaison Committees, Buildings and Grounds' eight members gathered Friday for the first time since Sept. 15. In all, the committee approved renovations of four campus properties, two smaller projects and a building name change with little discussion. 

Specific to USC's main Columbia campus, the board gave its initial approval for:

- $995,000 in athletic operating funds for renovation of the ground level concourse on the east side of Williams-Brice Stadium

- $950,000 from the university's institutional capital project funds for renovation of the former mill building at 1206 Flora Street

- $950,000 from the university's institutional capital project funds for replacement of flooring in Columbia Hall, which opened in 1974

- $800,000 for renovation of the interior of Capstone House, which opened in 1967

- $500,000 from the university's Institutional Capital Project Funds for renovation of the Carolina Tech Zone building at 516 Main Street 

- $375,000 from the university's Auxiliary Funds for renovation of the Park Street parking lot, which holds approximately 40 spaces for faculty and staff and 60 spaces for employees of the 1801 Grille restaurant

- the official renaming of 1244 Blossom Street to "Student Enrollment Services Center"

Off the main campus, the committee gave its approval to name changes of multiple buildings at USC Salkehatchie and a plaque at USC Upstate to honor the work of board member Toney J. Lister. Lister is a member of three board committees and has served on the board in some capacity since 1994.

The committee also gave Phase I approval to a renovation of the USC Aiken Maintenance Building and an overhaul of the HVAC system in that campus' Robert E. Penland Administration Building. 

Friday's approvals fall in line with a rapid rate of construction and expansion as the university is still waiting on construction of the $460 million Campus Village development and a renovated medical campus worth $200 million. The first phase of Campus Village, four residential buildings and a 945-car parking garage on the site of Cliff Apartments and the Bates House parking lot, is expected to open in 2020.

The full board, including the Executive Committee, meets again on Dec. 19 at the Alumni Center on Senate Street. No agenda for the Dec. 19 meeting is available as of Sunday evening.


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