Students to return in fall to new look

Penn State's president is coming in September for the official opening.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- When students return to the Penn State Shenango campus this fall, the scaffolding, work trucks and heavy equipment will be gone.
Left will be two newly renovated buildings with a gleaming glass entry connecting the two.
The work will ultimately leave more space for the students, said Dr. Fredric Leeds, chancellor of Penn State Shenango.
Leeds recently took The Vindicator on a tour of the brightly painted and renovated space where students will be able to work out, play pool, get a bite to eat and study, as well as attend classes.
According to the chancellor, the renovation of both Sharon Hall and Lecture Hall, which are now connected by the glass entry, is about 90 percent complete. Workers are expected to be done in the next few weeks, he said.
An official opening, marked with a visit by Penn State President Graham Spanier, is set for Sept. 20.
Cost for renovation
Penn State paid for the $9.4 million renovation and there was fundraising for $750,000 to pay for new furniture, window treatments and other things. Leeds said they have raised about $700,000 so far.
"We won't have too much outstanding debt. We've had very generous support from the community," Leeds said.
In addition to the building work, there are more visible signs that the campus is Penn State.
A nearly life-sized Nittany Lion -- the Penn State mascot -- was recently placed in the courtyard near Sharon and Lecture halls.
A smaller version of the Nittany Lion will be enshrined near a lounge area on the second floor of Sharon Hall near Leeds's office. Just off the lounge is a walkway leading to the second floor of Lecture Hall where the admission and financial aid offices will be, along with an art gallery that will be used for student art and some community events, the chancellor said.
New classrooms
New art and ceramic classrooms are on the first floor near the area connecting it to Sharon Hall. On the bottom floor of Sharon Hall is a new food service area, workout area, study rooms, student government offices, pool room and lounge as well as a small stage and retractable screen for films.
Leeds said there were a few surprises along the way with beams being raised, asbestos removal and more work done on the building roofs than expected.
The work was done by P.J. Dick Corp. and it was designed by WTW Architects, both of Pittsburgh. Leeds noted that all domestic steel was used on the project and all work was done by union workers.
He said the next campus project will be to renovate the auditorium in January 2007.
cioffi@vindy.com