The construction of the two new classroom buildings, one of which is open for business right now, led many to wonder what would become of those tired old workhorses, Arjona and Monteith. For a long time, the university wasn’t quite sure. Tear them down? Leave them up and use them as overflow space? Rehab them? Renovate one and tear the other down?

The Lookout is told that the plan for Arjona isn’t certain yet, but this is: Monteith will be spared the wrecking ball and will live on. But not like it stands today; the building will be renovated and will reopen as academic space of one sort or another – meaning it could be all offices, or offices and classrooms, and maybe even be home to some Student Affairs stuff. Not sure yet.

Importantly, the entire exterior will be replaced. This is good because, aesthetically, one of the troubling things about those buildings is how awful they look from the outside, screaming “shoddily built 1950s state public works project!” rather than “sleek energy efficient modern building!” So the new exterior will undoubtedly be much more energy efficient and just plain old better looking. Really, just being able to successfully open and close all the windows will be an improvement.

Mercifully, significant work will also be done to the interior.

No timetable yet.