By Jacob Roushia - September 23rd 2022
BELOIT
Renovation work at the Colonel Robert H. Morse Library on the Beloit College campus is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024.
Beloit College hosted an open house at the library on Wednesday, when renovation plans were discussed as the building plans for a new community outreach program called Impact Beloit.
“We expect to break ground in the spring of 2023 and the construction should be completed by the end of summer 2024,” said Eric Boynton, Provost and Dean of Beloit College.
On Feb. 23, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced that $9 million will be allocated for this project funded through the Neighborhood Investment Fund. The grant was given for a community outreach and engagement center at Beloit College.
Beloit College, itself, announced it will provide $1 million in funding for the project. Angus-Young designed the reconstruction project for the library, according to Joseph Stadelman, principal architect and president of Angus-Young.
A construction firm has not been determined at this time for the project.
Plans call for a two-story addition totaling 440 gross square feet for the new entry on the north side of the building, Stadelman explained. The current building is three stories and totals 50,000 gross square feet.
The new entrance will let visitors access Impact Beloit’s new space directly. Existing space also will be reallocated within the library.
This project will bring a new addition to the library called the Impact Beloit Hub. This project will bring a space for the new Impact Beloit program, as well as adding more space to the library itself.
Impact Beloit is a new community outreach program within the college. Through this program students can work with local organizations and businesses.
Carol Wickersham, instructor at Beloit College, teaches a class called Sociology 285, Duffy Community Partnership seminar. Sociology 285 allows students to work with local agencies such as Family Promise, Community Action and several others. Through this class students can earn credit and real life experience within their future career.
“With that implementation of Impact Beloit, we hope to double the involvement within the Duffy Community Partnerships,” said Tim Leslie, Executive in Residence at Beloit College.
Impact Beloit will not only improve the Duffy Program, but several other programs. The programs include Career Channels, the Center for Entrepreneurship (CELEB), Career Works, Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL), and Student Excellence & Leadership (SEL).
Impact Beloit is hoping to foster more relationships with organizations where students can intern and work with while earning a degree.
“One program that we have discussed is having a student, college faculty member and local business partner connect on a year or semester long project,” Leslie said. “This would be an opportunity for students to make an impact in the community while gaining real world experience.”
The construction project for Impact Beloit will include a new classroom, open area where students can learn about opportunities and a help desk.
Impact Beloit will have its own entrance and will be connected to a new parking lot that is included in the design plans.
Beloit College is seeking approval from the city to demolish demolish four structures: three houses and one garage as part of the project. Two houses have addresses on Emerson and one house is on Church Street. No one has been living in the houses for a few years.
The library itself will be adding a coffee shop.
“We have long been requested by students to add more places to grab a quick bite to eat or drink,” said Ted Wilder, Chief Information Officer and Library Director. “The coffee shop won’t be able to provide meals but a quick snack and variety of drinks will be available for students looking to recharge.”
The construction project will also include replacing the library’s roof and windows throughout the library.
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