Old steam plant to become new Student Services Center
Eastern’s old steam plant will become the new home for the Student Services Center in the future.
The building will be an all-in -one place where students can go to for records, admissions, financial aid and computer services.
The current building may even receive a new addition to the west.
According to Eastern’s Master Plan, “The proposed new 60,000 square ft. Student Services Center will comprise the renovated and repurposed Steam Plant and a significant addition to the west, around an open exterior court.”
Although there is no set start date for the project, officials plan on using the existing steam plant building for the new Student Services Center, instead of tearing the building down and making a new one.
“The old steam plant building will stay there. We may add an addition to the west to accommodate all of the things we envision being in the building,” said Paul McCann, the university treasurer.
Ryan Siegel, the campus energy and sustainability coordinator said, he is glad Eastern is utilizing the space they currently have and are not just building a new facility.
“Due to its heritage, it is worth preserving as it is where the university produced campus steam for many decades,” Siegel said.
The project is in its early stages, so the cost for the updates to the old steam plant are currently unknown.
In December all the pollution control equipment from the old steam plant will be removed.
“All of the pollution control equipment will be coming down soon-maybe as soon as December, if we can make the arrangements with the contractor,” McCann said.
When the material is removed from the old steam plant, the majority of the material will be recycled.
“As much material that can be recycled that is removed from the steam plant site will be. Alternative reuses will be explored as well,” Siegel said.
The old steam plant was built in 1925 and the last coal was burnt at the plant on Dec. 14, 2010.
“It (the old steam plant) had long since lived its useful life as a steam plant and was infeasible to install the new facility within the constraints of the old steam plant,” Siegel said.
Samantha Bilharz can be reached at 581-2812
