A final decision for the renovation of the Holmes Student Center tower is expected to be made this week at the Board of Regents meeting in Springfield.

NIU has received bids for the renovation of the student center, which were discussed last December by advisers of the NIU physical plant.

Conrad Miller, physical plant project manager, said the bids are “in excess of two million dollars.”

The Regents will make a decision on the renovations Thursday. If the renovation is approved, contracts between the lowest bidders and NIU will be negotiated, Miller said. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in April or May, and should be completed by spring 1990.

Since bricks and debris began falling from the student center tower in fall 1987, a temporary bus shelter was built on the west side of the student center to protect pedestrians from the falling debris. The shelter will be dismantled when construction work continues.

Miller said the Student Association Mass Transit Board insisted the plywood shelter be built to protect students. “The number one concern is safety of the people,” he said.

The board also requested students board buses farther away from the Pow Wow cafeteria, because debris was landing not only in front of the Pow Wow entrance, but as far west as the Neptune Hall parking lots.

Falling bricks also contributed to the original shutdown of Carroll Avenue to thru-traffic. Miller said Carroll Avenue was closed off because DeKalb and NIU administrators want to “see if the city can function without it.”

NIU would like to expand the Martin Luther King Commons and eliminate Carroll Avenue. The commons expansion has been delayed until the summer of 1990, because officials would like the student center renovation finished first.