Ever walked from Bixler to Founders and tripped going up the steep third staircase? How about the uneven pavement in front of the library? Facilities Management and Planning noticed and has been working to replace the library patio.

Facilities Management and Planning Vice President Rick Ewing said the patio had been under discussion prior to this semester.

“The pavers and steps were hazardous,” Ewing said. “We had unspent summer funds that were left over, so we took this opportunity to address this issue.”

“We wanted to get to it over the summer, but the budget wouldn’t allow it,” he added. “Fortunately, we had some projects come in under budget, so the funds became available.”

Library Director Ed Krakora said the pavement had been becoming problematic over the years.

“There were a lot of loose tiles and it would become very difficult to clear off snow,” Krakora said. “We saw the work that had been done on the Hugo Young patio and we were very pleased.”

The outside company brought in to redo the pavement in front of Hugo Young was called in again to replace the Library’s patio. Ewing said progress is on schedule but has been delayed slightly by the bad weather.

“Weather permitting, we are hoping to have completed the remodeling by next week.” Ewing said.

Krakora said the problem may not rest solely with the poor weather.

“The cement bed underneath the patio was significantly thicker than anticipated,” Krakora said. “Digging up the tiles was no problem, but they had to bring in jackhammers to remove the cement.”

Although the patio may currently be inaccessible, the library remains open regular hours and has not been severely inconvenienced by the construction.

“It was really smart of them to do half at a time so we don’t have to shut down,” Krakora said. “We’ve been really pleased with the progress and the work that has been done so far.”

In addition to patio reconstruction, the top third of the stairs is being replaced.

“The stairs were kind of steep and the patio itself had a step,” Krakora said. “We replaced the steps and now the patio is sloped. It’s a high traffic area that we hope will become more accessible.” Ewing said the construction will cost somewhere between $25,000 to $30,000, but he can’t be sure because the weather could influence the cost.

Ewing reported the elevator in Founders is on schedule and should be completed in December.