Regents to consider approval of around $8 million increase to Hillcrest renovations

The state Board of Regents heard a request from the University of Iowa on Wednesday to increase the budget for Hillcrest Residence Hall renovations from $8.5 million to an approximate $16 to $18 million.

Hillcrest+as+seen+on+Tuesday%2C+Oct.+3%2C+2017.+Hillcrest+is+one+of+the+University+of+Iowas+Residence+Halls.+

Ashley Morris

Hillcrest as seen on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Hillcrest is one of the University of Iowa’s Residence Halls.

The University of Iowa is pending approval from the state Board of Regents for additional funding to its Hillcrest Residence Hall renovation project, a proposal that would nearly double the initial budget.

The university plans to renovate all of the restrooms in the building, increasing the budget from $8.5 million to an approximate $16 or $18 million, according to regents documents. The project will be funded by the University Housing Renewal and Improvement Funds, and the regents will consider approval at their meeting Nov. 14.

The revised project will renovate all communal restrooms in addition the replacement of flooring, doors, and refinishing drywall and windows in dorm room spaces, according to regents documents.

The renovations in the restrooms will include piping. In the other residence halls, the UI was able to do renovations in shafts throughout the hall and conduct the project in parts, Rod Lehnertz, UI Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations said.

In Hillcrest, the disruptions caused by the renovations, if coordinated correctly, will only affect distinct areas of the building once but will be done over several years, he said.

“In concert with the university and Housing & Dining’s continuing and well-planned modernization and care for the residence halls on campus,” Lehnertz said, “…it is Hillcrest’s turn.”

As previously reported by The Daily Iowan, the regents approved the UI’s request for a Hillcrest improvement project in February. The original project costs covered the replacement of floor, wall, and ceiling finishes throughout the building, as the installation of new doors, closet systems, and additional study space.

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The project will begin summer 2020 and construction will occur over the next four summers when student population is down, Lehnertz said in February. The initial project aimed to update student-living space including student rooms, corridors, lounges, and elevator lobbies, he added.

The work at Hillcrest is a continuation of care and maintenance at residence halls across campus, as previously reported by the DI. Hillcrest improvements follow the renovations of Burge and Currier, said UI Assistant Vice President and Housing & Dining Senior Director Von Stange in February.

“This work is consistent with the university’s goal to reinvest wisely in existing facilities in order to extend the useful lives of buildings and provide a high-quality student experience on campus,” Stange said.