photo by: Nick Krug

Over the next six years, Kansas University is looking at spending about $241 million on Lawrence campus buildings, primarily renovations to existing facilities.

Some of the biggest projects on the to-do list for a few years from now include renovating Haworth Hall, Oliver Hall and Memorial Stadium, according to KU’s latest proposed capital improvements plan.

The university presented its capital improvement requests for fiscal year 2018 — covering projects tentatively budgeted for fiscal years 2017 through 2022, and a few beyond — to the Kansas Board of Regents this week. The Regents are expected to approve the capital improvement requests for KU and the other state universities in June.

Approving the capital improvement requests does not necessarily mean all projects will be funded or move forward as soon as hoped, Regents board chairman Shane Bangerter explained.

As they approach, future projects still must be vetted through the Regents facilities office and the Regents fiscal affairs committee on an individual basis, and some will be contingent upon garnering state funding.

“The dollar figures are staggering, yet these projects are very necessary and also very exciting,” Bangerter said. “We need to take them seriously.”

photo by: Nick Krug

A number of projects on KU’s list have already gained approval, completed design, and started construction.

Others are more tentative, slated for several years out and with funding yet to be in place.

The biggest single project on KU’s plan is construction of the new Earth, Energy and Environment Center — or EEEC — which is underway now on the corner of 15th Street and Naismith Drive.

The $82 million building is being paid for with a combination of private gifts, revenue bonds and university funds, primarily in fiscal years 2017 and 2018, according to KU’s proposed capital improvement request.

KU’s list features renovations to eight on-campus residential facilities. The following projects are expected to be paid for by housing funds and revenue bonds. Private gifts also are helping with Watkins and Miller renovations.

• Watkins Scholarship Hall: $2.1 million, slated for 2017

• Miller Scholarship Hall: $2 million, slated for 2017

• Corbin Hall: $14.5 million, slated for 2018

• Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall: $1.8 million, slated for 2018

• Battenfeld Scholarship Hall: $2.2 million, slated for 2018 and 2019

• Jayhawker Towers (Tower B): $10.2 million, slated for 2019

• Jayhawker Towers (Tower C): $10.1 million, slated for 2020

• Oliver Hall: $23.8 million, slated for 2022

Planned KU projects also include the following renovations and additions to academic buildings:

• Simons Bioscience Research Laboratories addition: $14 million, slated for 2017. Paid for with private gifts and research institute funding.

• Summerfield Hall partial renovation, to accommodate the department of film and media studies: $3.7 million, slated for 2017 and 2018. Funded by tuition, restricted fees and private giving.

• Life Science Research Lab expansion, Phase I: $6.6 million, slated for 2019. Paid with research institute funds, private gifts and parking fees.

• Dyche Hall renovation and repairs: $3.7 million, slated for 2017 and 2018. Paid with the educational building fund and research institute funding.

photo by: Nick Krug

• Haworth Hall renovation: $40 million, slated for 2021 and 2022. Haworth renovations are tentatively planned to be paid for primarily with state dollars, plus some private gifts and research institute funding.

KU’s capital plan also includes a chilled water plant, heating and cooling upgrades and parking upgrades.

Memorial Stadium renovations are on the list budgeted at $50 million, although that project will probably become more concrete on a future capital improvements plan. The current plan has funding tagged as private giving with design slated for 2022 and the bulk of work being done in subsequent years.

The list of 2017-2022 capital improvement requests for KU Medical Center include the already-begun Health Education Building, a $50 million future education building, a $2.8 million surgical skills lab plus other renovations.

Of all Regents universities’ capital improvements plans discussed this week, Kansas State University’s is the lengthiest and most costly. K-State lists $530.3 million in projects planned for 2017 through 2022.

K-State’s most expensive project, according to the list, is a $150 million new agricultural research and extension facility, followed by $102 million in renovations to the Jardine Residence Hall Complex.