Construction approved at Salem Campus

by Melody Gustafson
SALEM – The KSU Board of Trustees has approved a plan for transforming the gymnasium area into a health and sciences wing.

According to Henry Trenkelbach, business manager for KSU’s two Columbiana County campuses, the plan was drawn by Strollo Architects and has three phases. A cost estimate of the first phase is $6.5 million, with the architects taking 10 percent of that for their services.

Trenkelbach said that the first phase involves completion of the first floor of nursing and radiology classrooms, including a large 60 seat lecture hall with stadium-style seating. Officials hope to begin construction in November.

The entire corner of the building behind the vending lounge in the vicinity of rooms 129-131 will be converted into a faculty offices area. When students enter the main entrance off the student parking lot, an immediate right down the hallway will lead them to the relocated bookstore. An outside entrance to the bookstore will result in greater convenience.

A new vending lounge will be located off of the northeast courtyard by the student entrance to the current vending lounge, and it will replace the existing one. The locker rooms are to be “wiped out,” Trenkelbach said, and nursing lab will take its place.