Students may see a newly remodeled Stevens Building in 2004.

The Stevens Building, southeast of Watson Hall, houses the School of Theatre and Dance as well as the anthropology department.

It recently was added to NIU’s list of capital improvement requests, which need approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education and state legislature.

At an estimated cost of $16.9 million, the remodeling would allow the Stevens Building to operate properly for an estimated 25 to 30 years.

“It hasn’t been renovated for many years,” said Alexander Aducci, chairman of the School of Theatre and Dance. “We need more classroom space and improvements with the overall structure.”

According to a Board of Trustees report, the project would include the upgrading and furnishing of various facilities. The plan would provide a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

It also would include new energy-efficient lobby windows, a new roof, new ceilings, handicapped accessibility, asbestos abatement, reconfiguration, upgrades of academic spaces and an addition to the scene shop making scene construction safer and more efficient.

Inside, the problems are clearly evident from dark rusting, poor lighting, chipped paint and an increasing amount of mold.

Sophomore theatre major David Morrison said the facilities should be improved to accommodate the needs of the students.

“The theatre department is really great, but it needs to be worked on,” he said. “We have two rooms that overlap.”

Nancy Brundage, a graduate assistant in costume and design, said the air conditioning has been the main source of her problems.

“It has a lot of moisture, which means that our sewing machines rust,” she said. “This summer, we had some costumes that got destroyed from growing mold.”

Kathleen Truman, a secretary in the anthropology department, said she works in unsuitable conditions.

“The heating system is out of date, leaks coming in from the window, growing mold, you name it,” she said.

Daniel O’Brien, a senior technical theatre major, said the O’Connell Theatre should be the main priority.

“I personally believe they need to make it wheelchair accessible, especially adding an elevator,” he said. “The theatre should be renovated to make it bigger and nicer, and the sound quality needs to be improved.”

Sharon Turner, a freshman pre-theatre major, said that overall, the building doesn’t seem to need any additional changes.

“The lighting upstairs is very poor,” she said. “Other than that, it already has beautiful architecture. It just needs a little work.”