DeKALB – In early September, Swen Parson Hall received funding for renovations and is currently in the process of repairing the roof.
“The project currently underway is a long-awaited state funding project to replace all the flat roofs on the building, make masonry (stone) repairs around the entire perimeter of the building and also clean all stone,” according to a university statement provided to the Northern Star. The project is estimated to cost $5.6 million, provided by the state of Illinois through the Capital Development Board (CDB) and is managed by NIU Architectural Engineering Services (AES).
”Scaffolding was placed around the perimeter to allow workers to focus on the exterior and keep all entrances open. Work started on the north section of the building, will head towards the south section and end with the west section,” Belinda Roller, program director of AES, said.
At the top of the walls, stone is being removed, repaired and replaced. The flat roof system is being replaced and additional insulation will be added. NIU aims to complete most repairs before the end of the fall 2024 semester and be completely finished by the end of the spring 2025 semester.
Swen Parson Hall was originally built as the campus library in 1952, 53 years after Altgeld Hall was built. The north and south wings were additions in the 1960s. Swen Parson Hall’s older architectural style provides challenges for the workers like finding stone to match the existing stone and selecting mortar colors to blend with existing mortar colors.
Swen Parson Hall houses the College of Law, which has brought up concerns of potential disruptions to faculty and students.
Heidi Frostestad, associate dean of Academic Affairs and Information Services in the College of Law, said there is a plan to minimize disruptions during the construction.
“AES and the College of Law are working together to minimize any disruptions by sharing midterm and final exam dates to prevent disruptions during these key dates. Event dates were also shared so that repair work can be less noisy,” Frostestad said.
Frostestad also discussed her excitement for the new roof and thinks that the drawbacks that come with constructing a new roof will be outweighed by the result.
“Any inconvenience with the roofing construction will be outweighed by the prize of a brand new roof at the culmination of work. Swen Parson Hall is one of the crown jewels on campus, and we feel very grateful to have been selected for funding for the new roof,” Frostestad said.
Despite the obstacles, Roller has expressed her satisfaction with the contractors.
“They did a great job of working with us to minimize impact to the building occupants, focusing on safety and working around Food Truck Wednesdays that happen right out front of Swen Parson (Hall),” Roller said.
