Annie Weber | News Editor | aeweber@butler.edu

Construction is a regular part of Butler University’s landscape under President James Danko’s 2020 Vision.

While several projects are complete, construction crews are far from packing up. Rich Michal, executive director of facilities for Butler, gave the low-down of what projects are complete, what projects are in the works and what future projects the university has planned.

Projects like Fairview House and Scotty’s Dawghouse are done, but the road to a construction-free campus is long.

Graphic by Annie Weber.

SCHWITZER HALL

Schwitzer Hall is currently being decommissioned. Masons will come in to remove limestone and other elements of Schwitzer deemed worth saving. The ornamental doorways to the building will be removed and placed around campus. Schwitzer’s full demolition will begin around December, and Michal said they hope to break ground there in February or March of 2017.

During this demolition, Schwitzer will be fenced off. Students can still walk on the sidewalks near Alpha Phi in order to get to the academic buildings.

The new dorm that will replace Schwitzer will be built through the same partnership between Butler and American Campus Communities and timeline as Fairview House. This new dorm will be open in the fall of 2018.

PARKING GARAGE

The parking garage’s retail space is near capacity, and Michal said they were “cautiously optimistic” the last space will be filled by a coffee vendor. Pita Pit’s permits took longer than anticipated, but Michal predicts it will open by November or December.

Metro Diner was just announced as the next addition, with a projected December opening date.

Parking Services office moved from Butler University’s Police Department to the space beside Pita Pit in the parking garage.

FUTURE PLANS

Two new academic buildings are planned — one from scratch and one from existing buildings. The Lacy School of Business will be constructed in the parking lot north of Irwin Library. Michal said in the best-case scenario, they will begin work next summer.

He also said it would be at least four years before they begin joining and renovating Gallahue Hall and Holcomb Building into the new science building.

Michal said he would like to work with the Student Government Association on improving Residential College. Garden Road, the road down to Holcomb Gardens, will be repaved, and Irwin Library’s skylight and roof will also be replaced.

Michal would also like to move the substation from behind Schwitzer to the parking lot between Alpha Phi and Sigma Nu.

He said they are also speaking with Pacer’s Bikeshare to get bikes on campus.