Since the conclusion of the 2023 Spring semester, Weber State University’s David O. McKay Education Building has been under construction, as part of a heavy renovation process.

It has gone through various phases over the past few months. Students can observe the construction progress as they walk by the building.

The construction team is progressing at an accelerated rate. The renovation started with abatement, which consists of asbestos removal as well as the removal of other hazardous materials. That process is now complete. Now, the construction team has started the “building back” process.

“They’re doing some earthquake piles, which are driven down about 120 feet to 1,020 feet to provide stability,” Kristin Hadley, dean of the College of Education, said. “There’s also some work going on in the tunnels that connects to other buildings on campus.”

Construction is moving as planned, and is estimated to be finished December 2024.

“No deadlines have been moved. [Construction] is constantly looking at the target date and they’ve adjusted a little bit,” Hadley said. “But it’s a little bit of a moving target pertaining to materials. We have a pretty firm target for the first part of December in 2024.”

Hadley said the McKay Education Building, as it stood previously, was a 50-year old building and was not built up to the earthquake standards that other buildings on WSU campus have. There were a lot of difficulties trying to heat and cool a building of that size and of that age which didn’t have the proper insulation.

When construction is complete, there will be new student gathering spaces as well as new study spaces, similar to the one in the Lindquist Hall. More natural light will be added in classrooms and other open spaces.

There will be improved security in the Melba S. Lehner Children’s School. Parents and teachers will have to enter a specific code to get into that section of the building as opposed to easy access that was there previously. There will also be cameras throughout that section for the childrens’ and their teachers’ protection.

The number of classrooms will be decreased. There will be several active learning classes, as well as smaller classrooms and a larger classroom for seminars.

Renovation will add a fabrication lab where students can create materials for lessons in collaboration with local school districts. There will also be a Digital Maker-Space, a place to create podcasts and other digital resources.

Kristin Hadley has said while it has been an adjustment period, the College of Education faculty and staff have been more than up to the task.

“I think it’s challenging,” Hadley said. “But our faculty and staff have been very flexible and willing to work through this time until we’re ready to be back in the new building.”