Four of Illinois State University’s busiest classrooms, located in the Center for the Visual Arts (CVA) Rotunda, are receiving a $9 million overhaul.
“This classroom space had not been substantially renovated since it was built (in 1974), and it had a lot of challenges,” said David Gill, the director of Facilities, Planning, Design, and Construction. “After the renovation, we believe it’ll be a lot better.”
Financed by Academic Enhancement Funds (AEFs), the project involves renovating and modernizing the Rotunda’s four, tiered classrooms and the encircling hallway. A new heating and cooling system is also being installed.
At the end of the spring 2023 semester, workers began gutting the 11,500-square-foot Rotunda, which included removing 650 lecture chairs. Over the summer, they replaced existing support pillars in the middle of the circular structure with new concrete support walls.
This fall, work is underway to raise the Rotunda’s tiered, concrete floor to accommodate four new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible ramps that lead from the top hallway to the bottom tier of each classroom. New lecture seating and modern finishes will be installed before the Rotunda reopens for spring 2024.
The nearly 4,000 students who would have had classes in the Rotunda during the fall semester have been relocated to classes in the nearby Normal Theater, the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center, and a large room in the Student Services Building.
Last spring, 45 classes were held each week in the Rotunda from several disciplines including accounting, art, biological sciences, communication sciences and disorders, economics, English, geography, history, information technology, nursing, special education, and theatre. Additionally, 12 registered student organizations (RSOs) met in the Rotunda.
Although physically connected to the CVA, the Rotunda renovation is separate from the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts Rehabilitation Project, which is also moving forward this fall with reviewing architectural plans and beginning the bidding process.
