We have a lot to report in this latest newsletter. Much progress has been made, and we are eager to share it with you.  

Recent Work

Recently, the contractors began work on the Upper Lobby area.  Particularly they are working on the ceiling - which involves plaster demolition, ceiling tile demo, electrical and lighting work.  Then will come the walls and floors.  The total time for the work in this area is expected to take 12 - 14 weeks.  During these weeks you will see work ongoing during event down-times.  Workers will clean up the floor space and keep it useful for events during event times. 

Floor Coverings

Please note that the entire lower level will be carpeted, including Texas and Ranger Rooms and the new meeting rooms.  Formerly, these floors were vinyl tile. The floor in Chisholm Hall is still concrete and the floor in McLennan Hall is also vinyl tile.  These floors did not change.

What's Going On With the Renovation

Current rooms available are Chisholm, McLennan, and Cameron. The Cameron Room will be under renovation for 8 weeks, starting Dec. 7.

Work in the Lower Level is progressing and we expect to have part of that turned over to us for use by mid-to-late November.  A huge part of getting the lower level rooms back in use is getting vertical access for us to be able to move people from the upper to the lower levels and vice versa.

By mid-November we should gain access to most of the lower level rooms, except for part of the Texas Rooms and the Huaco Room.  The three new meeting rooms (as yet, un-named) will be available at that time. For the time being, the lower level will be accessible via the new escalator and the passenger elevator.  The new stairs should be complete by end of January.

The old Texas Room 2 is now a grand entrance, although the actual entrance doors are still under construction. Texas 1 has become Texas North, and Texas 3 has become Texas South. Both of these rooms will divide into 3 sections. These rooms will be returned to us for use beginning mid-to-late November, except for the portion adjacent to the construction of the new east entrance along University Parks Drive.

Ranger Rooms have been redone and the operable air-walls are now soft beige, matching the walls and the color scheme throughout the building.  These rooms will be carpeted and will be useful as nice, comfortable break-out rooms.  

The Huaco Room will not be available until summer 2011 because it extends into the new space facing Washington Avenue, which is not yet built.

Especially for Caterers

Caterers will appreciate the new servery areas that have been built or adapted to allow them to serve meals more efficiently.  The former Kitchen adjacent to Chisholm Hall will be modified to become a Servery Kitchen for Caterers to use when they are catering into Chisholm Hall.  The Brazos Servery Kitchen is completely being re-built, and when we are complete we will have small Servery Kitchens adjacent to the Texas Room on the lower level and to the McLennan Hall on the upper level.  A totally new, very large Servery Kitchen adjacent to the new Ware Wash room is completed next door to the new main WCC Kitchen in the lower level.  This Catering Servery has prep tables and plenty of electricity for Caterers to bring in their own warmers.  More services are in the works for Caterers as we progress into a newer and larger building.