NIU’s Physical Plant is proceeding with its plans to reduce inventory where appropriate and convert warehouse space to offices and drafting rooms.

James Harder, vice president for Business and Operations, said the plant is trying to make the program more effective since excess inventory “ties up money and space.”

Obsolete or unneeded parts are being sent from NIU in an orderly fashion to the Surplus Property Control Division of Central Management Services of Illinois in Springfield, said Joe Baird, Associate Director of Materials Management.

Items such as lightbulbs are transferred to the surplus property division where other state agencies can pick them out at no charge, Baird said.

Jim Bryant, Physical Plant project manager, said this first phase of the plant’s plans reduced the warehouse space to two thirds of its original space.

The remaining one third will be used as Physical Plant offices, Bryant said.

Remodeling of the Physical Plant is being done to follow ventilation and fire code requirements which prevent harmful fumes and dust from the air, he said.

Also, the Illinois transportation department is widening Lincoln Highway, forcing the plant to create a western main entrance instead of the southern previously in place, he said.

Finally, as the campus has grown, more administrative personnel have been needed, he said. The remodeling will allow all foremen to have their own offices, he said.

A new computer work order system will be available to the foremen to help process requests, he said.

“Everybody complains about not enough office space,” he said. “Now the architects are trying to design for themselves.”

Because of the priorities of other campus projects, Bryant said they are holding up the development of the offices until after the September rush.