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Monday, November 18, 2024
NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Turlington lecture halls reopen after renovations

Some Turlington Hall classrooms may be known for function rather than aesthetic appeal, but three of the building's large lecture halls received a makeover this summer.

The lecture halls - L-005, L-007 and L-011 - debuted a fresh, modernized look for classes Monday after being closed since May.

The project missed its original deadline of July 31, but the halls were ready for classes Monday, said Harold Barrand, associate director of architecture and engineering at UF's Physical Plant Division.

The division, which was in charge of the project, faced a tight deadline to rip up and replace the carpets, ceilings, wall finishes, chairs and desks, Barrand said.

A major part of the project was bringing the rooms up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards that were put into effect after Turlington Hall opened in 1977.

New features of the restored classrooms include improved accessibility for handicapped students, with sloped flooring around the perimeter of the room and down the aisles, as well as desks without an attached seat in the back and front of the classrooms.

Barrand said the new style and facilities brought the frequently used lecture halls into the new millennium.

"We're real proud of Turlington," he said. "It was a bit messy there for a while, but it cleaned up nice, you know?"

Along with an orange-streaked carpet and new flooring, the project included adding new projectors and a restored air duct system.

UF's Department of Academic Technology set aside $1.2 million to pay for the upgrades.

The renovations have received mixed reviews from UF students attending class in the lecture halls.

Shitarria Battle, a mechanical engineering senior, said she noticed the new classroom smell, but the renovations weren't impressive.

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"As long as I can see what the professor is writing on the board, I don't really care how comfortable the chair is," Battle said.

Other students leaving the rooms praised the improved lighting, crisp air conditioning and spacious desk area.

UF sophomore Justin Ritchey said he hated skating to his morning class last spring semester because room L-007 was so hot inside. Plus, the tiny desks attached to the seats did not fit a laptop.

Comfortably sitting in a new chair with his laptop open on a wide table, Ritchey said he even appreciated the bland color splashing the walls.

"The color may be a pretty plain tan, but it looks nice," he said.

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