From the relocation of classes and offices to the constriction noise that can be heard echoing throughout the quad, the renovation of McCormick Hall has become an inescapable part of campus life. Once completed, students and faculty will be able to enjoy state-of-the-art equipment and technology, including a brand-new radio broadcasting studio, an enhanced Zoom room, and a third floor dedicated to the nursing department, including multiple high-fidelity simulation labs. Although about half of the current student body will be gone by the time the building reopens for use in the fall of 2025, everyone is curious about the current state of the renovations.
As many can see from walking past the building, the inside of the older section is in the process of being completely gutted down to its support beams. The first floor will be rebuilt with updated equipment and space for the Criminal Justice, Education, and Media and Journalism departments. This will include the aforementioned radio broadcasting studio, an enhanced Zoom room, and the new Diehl Center for Law School Preparation.
The $250,000 enhanced Zoom room will include breakout room capabilities for both in-person and virtual students to interact with each other through specialized pod-style furniture with built-in microphones to assist in hybrid learning. An example of one of these Zoom rooms can be found on the second floor of Sutlif Hall.
A new elevator will be installed to accommodate the nursing floor since the original elevator could not fit the new hospital beds that will be housed on the third floor of McCormick. All new equipment will be provided to the nursing department, as well as space that will be built over the existing roof that the department can grow into if the need for extra classrooms or labs ever arises.
“We are currently about 20% done,” states Assistant Director of Facilities for Planning and Construction, Emil Mikle. This may seem like not much progress, but it has been a ten-year process to get a project like this off the ground. Before funding for this project could be granted by the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania, studies were conducted to determine where the funds should best be allocated. Once the project has made its way to the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, it is added to a queue to wait for funding. After contractors bid to work on who takes on the job, construction can begin, which brings us to where we are today.
As construction continues throughout the next few years, Bloomsburg students and staff will have a front-row seat to watch the progress of the McCormick Hall renovations.
