The IU Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve a $23 million renovation of the Collins Living-Learning center during a virtual meeting Friday. The renovation is expected to be finished in July 2022, according to a Herald-Times article.
Friday’s approval is the second time the plan has been given the green light. The plan was originally approved in October 2019, according to an IU press release. University officials expected to begin renovations in spring 2020, but the project was delayed after the COVID-19 pandemic put construction on hold, according to a Herald Times article.
The second approval of the project means it will now move forward during the 2021-22 school year. This means Collins’ three buildings and nearly 400 beds will be unavailable to students during that year, according to the Herald Times article.
Smith, Edmonson and Cravens halls will be renovated to include air conditioning, elevators and fire suppression infrastructure. The original approval also said group restrooms would be converted to more private spaces, and new plumbing and card reader security access systems would be installed.
Since 2007, IU has spent about $585 million on housing construction and renovation.
The renovations are part of a larger plan from 2007 to renovate all residence halls on IU’s Bloomington campus, the Herald Times article said. The final step in the plan is to renovate Wright Quadrangle during the following two school years.
