What happened:
A brand-new rock-climbing tower has been finished on Upper Campus, while on Lower Campus the renovation of McCormick is still underway.
Why it matters:
Campus construction can get in the way of student transportation as well as misplace departments while their buildings are worked on.
Background:
The McCormick renovations have been progressing for multiple years now, with some students questioning the timeline of the construction. Assistant Director of Facilities for Planning and Construction Emil Mikle put some of these rumors to rest.
The rest of the story:
The new rock-climbing tower on Upper Campus is just about complete. Director of Bloomsburg’s Quest Program Nick McCormack stated that the rock wall replacement project has been in progress for about a year now, with the finishing safety checks being completed and students will be able to climb on it soon. “The old rock wall was installed in 2001…Quest’s high ropes yearly inspection indicated that the wooden outdoor rock wall had about a year left in its lifetime.” McCormack told The Voice. Quest and CGA figured the solution was a brand new 70-foot climbing tower. It isn’t just a replacement to the old wall but a major upgrade, as McCormack states, “The new 70-foot wall provides better training options for the Quest staff to include skills that would otherwise not have been possible to teach, as well as creating an iconic experience for Commonwealth students, the Quest Adventure Camps, and all the many participants that push their limits with Quest’s high ropes programs.” The new wall started with an estimated cost of $187,000, but with state construction regulations the process needed to add a $70,000 ADA compliant landing pad. The final permits for the wall were issued on October 23, 2024, and the wall is ready for use.
As for McCormick, “Most of the building [will be completed] December 2024. The built-out portion on top floor housing Nursing [will be completed] March 2025.” Mikle told The Voice. According to the office of Planning and Construction the completion timeline has been the same and has not been moved back. Students may have seen noticeable progress externally (pictured) and overall construction is “90% complete” according to Mikle. To any concerned Bloomsburg students and staff, Mikle has this to say, “The project schedule has not changed. The expectation was for construction to be completed in the late fall of 2024 and spring of 2025. Furniture was ordered for the building spaces. After the end of the spring semester, the moving back process will take place. The building will be open for the fall of 2025 occupancy and use. I believe the students and faculty will be very happy and pleased with the newly renovated building, spaces and classrooms.”
