The start of another academic year has brought campus back to life — shouts of greeting populate the mall, wide-eyed freshmen are adjusting to their new lives and classes are back in session. But while students were away this summer, campus was busied not by academics but the whir of drill bits and concrete mixers. But while many newly completed projects dot campus this fall, there are still works in progress.
Academic buildings, living units and support buildings were host to a number of upgrades this summer. The International House received external renovations and will get internal ones over the course of the semester, and Detchon Hall’s front stairs received some much needed reinforcements after recurring issues with crumbling plagued them last year. Morris and Wolcott Halls both were treated to fresh coats of paint, furniture upgrades and new carpeting, and the south side of campus got its fair share with new turf on Fischer Field and a fresh parking lot on the corner of Jennison and Grant.
However, certain projects continue. Many students expected Knowling Fieldhouse to be ready for the start of school in August, but over the summer, the damage to the underlying concrete was determined to be greater than previously expected. Additionally, in the 25 years since the Fieldhouse’s surfaces were added, new advancements in floor technology enabled the project to include a wider variety — and a higher quality — of surfaces than project managers believed was possible at the outset.
Included in the Knowling project will be an indoor track manufactured by the world’s best track manufacturer, volleyball specific practice flooring that will also be utilized by intramurals and an artificial turf section that will be used by athletes of many sports teams.
“Almost every team at Wabash will use that space in some way throughout the course of the year,” said Director of Athletics Jim Peeples. “What drove our decision making on the flooring upgrades that we made was who uses that space most often as their day-to-day practice space.”
While the upgrades to the Fieldhouse will modernize the surfaces and make it safer for athletes and casual users alike, the project was delayed nonetheless. Some students were frustrated to return to campus without the project completed and felt like in May they were, to an unreasonable extent, in the dark about how long the upgrades would really take. The current projection is that the Fieldhouse will be complete by the end of the calendar year.
“I understand these feelings and they are valid; however, I think it is important to note that progress isn’t just what is happening before our eyes,” said Director of Planning, Design and Construction Adriann Rhoades. “There is a lot of work that occurs behind the scenes and on paper to ensure that we are designing spaces and selecting materials that are in alignment with the standards of the College and the student experience.”
Other long-term projects progressed over the summer. The Central Plant — which will supply heating and cooling to the new Community Center, as well as other locations on campus — is on track to be finished by the summer of 2027. And the Community Center itself, whose progress has been blocked for some time by government shutdowns and issues with financing approval, finally closed on an interim funding agreement with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in July.
That agreement, which secures lower interest rate and debt refinancing options for the College, will ensure price freezes that the USDA must honor, effectively lowering the ultimate cost of the project. Contractor teams are re-mobilizing, and foundation work is expected to begin next week, with the planned end of the project set for the summer of 2028.
In the coming months, more community input will help move the project forward.
“We will have some upcoming events over the next year to provide additional feedback on furniture et cetera that will ultimately go intothese spaces, and we want everyone on campus to participate,” saidRhoades.
And while students may find itfrustrating that all this constructionis happening during their four yearson campus, some student leaders areurging patience and understandingwhile remaining determined to keepcampus’ spirits high.
“ I would like everyone frustratedwith the construction delays to consider the other facilities that othergenerations of Wabash men mayhave had to wait to see completedduring their time here,” said StudentBody President Jack Ray ‘28. “Myteam is placing a great emphasis onevents at the mall this year, whetherthere is construction or not. The mallhas always been our campus collection point and we will continue to useit as such.”
But while students are still encouraged to energetically use all the campus’ spaces, administration officialsare prioritizing safety and asking allWabash community members to dothe same.
“Safety is very important as weincrease construction activity on ourcampus,” said Rhoades. “We knowthese projects can cause fatigue,especially on a small campus, butwe want to do everything we can tomake the overall experience as positive as possible as we work to bringthese exciting capital improvementsto Wabash.”
So, as summer wanes and theArboretum’s leaves begin to changewith the dawn of fall, expect to seeWabash’s architectural and infrastructural facets changing along withthem, accompanying another year ofWabash students on their journey inCrawfordsville.