Construction blocks students from parts of campus on Sunday, Aug. 28. The university continues to expand as more students enroll.

Construction blocks students from parts of campus on Sunday, Aug. 28. The university continues to expand as more students enroll.

The University of Nevada, Reno continues to grow and expand, with the construction and renovation of six separate buildings on campus over the course of the last year.  Here is a quick overview of the buildings being constructed at this time.

CENTRAL CHILLED WATER PLANT

With this construction, south campus is going to be a lot cooler. South campus is already pretty swell, but in this instance we’re referring to water. This water plant will provide chilled water to 29 buildings in south campus. Be prepared for detours around the Thompson and Jot Travis buildings, as there will be some trenching taking place.

E.L. WIEGAND FITNESS CENTER

Many students will experience nostalgia when thinking of the Lombardi Recreation Center, but there comes a time when the campus must let go of the old and embrace the new.  The E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center will be a place where every student has something to look forward to. There will also be no semester fee for use, as the fee is already factored into every student’s tuition.

GREAT BASIN HALL

Another residence hall on campus? Although some may see this as excessive, Great Basin Hall is actually a necessity. On-campus demand for housing currently exceeds 122 percent. Incoming freshmen may have to get a little more comfortable with their roommates than usual while they wait for Great Basin to be finished.

LINCOLN HALL BUILDING RENOVATION

Originally an all-boy’s dorm, Lincoln Hall, built in 1896, is one of the oldest buildings on campus. Lincoln will never be a residence hall again, as it is now being converted into an office building.

MACKAY STADIUM CLUB AND SEATING

Football season is right around the corner and Nevada is upgrading stadium seating. As many know, bleachers are not the most comfortable seats in the world, so there will now be backs added to a portion of bleachers. Along with the upgraded seating, construction is underway for a new 6,000 square foot stadium club. East and west-side suites have been renovated and upgraded. The east-side suites also have a new set of outdoor patio spaces.

THOMPSON BUILDING

The Thompson Building will not be demolished, just reinvented. The outside will stay intact, but the inner parts of the building will be renovated to meet specific safety standards. There will also be some structural upgrades, such as the incorporation of a fire- suppression system. The university will also construct new electrical and ventilation systems.

Brandon Cruz can be reached at jsolis@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.