Filed Under: President's Post, Featured Articles

Numerous campus construction projects are ongoing or were recently completed. Here is a brief update on those recent and current projects.

Davis Science and Wiser-Patten Science

Substantial completion is planned by late fall for this crucial renovation project, costing approximately $20 million. The new and returning occupants will move in late fall and over the holiday break before the spring 2017 semester. A new connector between the two buildings—the Strobel Lobby—will create a central entrance for both buildings and will provide ADA accessibility within both buildings. The new connector structure is complete, and the exterior skin is being installed.

Wiser-Patten building construction is well underway with finishes beginning. Three-quarters of all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work is complete in Wiser-Patten, and the new elevators will be installed in February. The lab casework starts this March. Occupants of the buildings will include Physics, Anthropology, and Forensic Science.

Davis Science Building walls are being renovated, and mechanical and plumbing work is about 50 percent complete. Occupants of the buildings will include Academic Advising, Geosciences, and new Mechatronics labs.

Adams Tennis Complex Last summer, the City of Murfreesboro and MTSU officials unveiled the long-anticipated Adams Indoor Tennis Complex, an eight-court facility that greatly enhances the Blue Raider tennis program while increasing playing and tournament opportunities for area residents. The new $6.2 million, 70,000-square foot complex, located at Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro, is the latest partnership between the city, MTSU, and the nonprofit Christy-Houston Foundation.

The complex sports eight indoor tennis courts, two electronic scoreboards, a pro shop, and a lounge area with a mezzanine for spectator viewing. The Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department operates the facility, allowing Blue Raider tennis practices and matches to take place from November until March while also providing opportunities for the city to host other tournaments throughout the year.

The new facility gives the Murfreesboro community—including MTSU staff and faculty—more opportunities to watch the Blue Raiders in action without traveling to Nashville.

Middle Tennessee Boulevard Widening

Construction on the widening of Middle Tennessee Boulevard is starting this January following the award of the construction bid to Jarrett Builders Inc., by the City of Murfreesboro. The project is designed to improve traffic flow and safety along the edge of campus, with the introduction of bike paths, additional signalized crossings at Lytle and Division, improved lighting, and landscaped medians and turn lanes in the center.

Traffic calming features are key components to the project to support pedestrian safety in the area. Pedestrian safety is a paramount concern of the project team, and pedestrians crossing the road are encouraged to exercise extreme caution.

Construction will begin on the section south of the culvert at Sinking Creek. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times throughout the course of the project, planned for approximately 30 months. Entrances to the campus will be maintained at Greenland Drive, Faulkinberry, and Bell Street.

The City of Murfreesboro and MTSU will provide periodic construction status updates and notifications about any changes to the traffic flow or pedestrian crossings.

Livestock Center Parking Lot

Plans are underway to pave and restripe the Livestock Center parking lot and provide improved traffic and shuttle bus circulation, improved lighting, and drainage in the area, as well as a widened pedestrian walk to the lot. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

Miller Education Center Renovation

The renovation of the Miller Education Center (MEC), formerly the Bell Street Center, is complete and is open for the start of spring semester. The center is an approximately two-minute drive from the edge of campus, located located between Greenland Drive and Bell Street at Highland. New occupants include the Jennings A. Jones College of Business Center for Executive Education, the University College, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Center for Chinese Music and Culture.

The Chinese cultural center is the result of a $1 million grant provided by Hanban Confucius Institute in Beijing, an organization sponsored by China’s education ministry that oversees more than 440 institutes in 120 countries. In collaboration with our sister university, Hangzhou, the new center will promote music as a vital element in education and understanding of Chinese people and culture. It will also become another component of our extremely successful international outreach, which has earned MTSU recognition as a leader in global studies.

The MEC renovation includes upgrades to a meeting space on the second floor adjacent to the central atrium. The meeting space will accommodate flexible seminars for 60 occupants, or approximately 145 occupants for special events. In addition, there are offices for University Police and Events Coordination. Site improvements include lighting upgrades in the garage, new lighting in the surface parking lots, and new fencing around the green space, now complete.