The University of Idaho Library has undergone three separate yet concurrent construction projects since the spring, according to Project Architect Stephanie Clarkson. But this construction is nearly complete.
The aging of UI’s campus and deferred building maintenance means the library is not the only building in need of renovation, Ray Pankopf, Architectural and Engineering Services director, said. Some of the newer buildings, like the Idaho Student Union Building and the J.A. Albertson Building, are still over 20 years old.
“Many of our structures are over 100 years of age,” Pankopf said. “Systems and finishes are, simply put, old and tired and in need of refresh and upd ate.”
The library’s interior was updated first, with the aim of using the existing space more efficiently and improving the interior aesthetic. Communication between the library and the architecture department was critical in determining how to format and furnish the design, Clarkson said.
“Those markerboards, furnishings, the signage – that was all driven by the library to improve the space and update it,” Clarkson said.
Work began on the roof to fix existing leaks and prevent new ones from reappearing. This was particularly important because of the library’s contents.
“There’s always a chance for items to get damaged,” Clarkson said. “We try to get to roofs before there is a problem. I knew that this one was in need. Typically, the lifespan of a roof is 20-30 years.”
According to Clarkson, the interior is finished and the roof is nearing completion.
The last of the three projects is still ongoing. The north wall of the library, facing Memorial Gymnasium, is still under construction. A sewer line near the wall, which was redone last year, made the wall construction necessary, Clarkson said. However, there’s been a few setbacks on this project, so Clarkson is unsure when it will be done.
“This is probably the only project that I’ve had that has been mostly impacted by COVID-19,” Clarkson said. “It was difficult to get people here to work on it for the spring and summer.”
COVID-19 did not play a large roll in getting funding for new projects, but Pankopf has run into funding problems. The main funding from these projects is part of Idaho’s income tax, which has been fixed at $10 per tax return since 1961, Pankopf said.
“Using an inflation calculator, which anybody can find online, it takes $85-90 to have the same purchasing power that $10 afforded in 1961,” Pan kopf said.
This means Pankopf’s team is updating, renovating and maintaining UI’s facilities with 12.5% of the money they were receiving in 1961. Adding in liquor and cigarette sales tax money still isn’t enough to make up the difference in funding, Pankopf said.
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected]