Summer renovations keep campus busy
The old women’s bathroom in Jesse Hall is being replaced by new men’s and women’s bathrooms
Photo credit: Nora Betts
By Hope Nelson
Concordia’s campus wasn’t quiet over the summer as building renovations, from downspouts to new flooring, were made in Jesse Hall, Esther Hall and the Janzow Campus Center.
Shiny new downspouts on the exterior of Jesse Hall.
Jesse Hall, located between Thom Leadership Education Center and Weller Hall, was built in 1923, making it one of Concordia’s oldest buildings. Originally, it served as a men’s dorm and now houses Concordia’s counseling center, many faculty offices, the Marxhausen Art Gallery, the Sower office, and the Luke Scholars honors program.
Jesse received updates inside and outside. Upstairs, new men’s and women’s bathrooms on the west end of the hallway replace the previous dormitory-era bathrooms. The vacated bathroom on the east end of the hall will become a faculty conference space. In addition, workers replaced a large portion of the ceiling above the staircase leading to the second floor after plaster fell to the floor.
Caleb Lenz (left) and Seth Reed (right) of WeatherCraft in Lincoln work to prepare new copper downspouts for installation at Jesse Hall on June 28, 2024. Photo credit: Tobin Beck
Outside, Weathercraft, a roofing company out of Lincoln, replaced old downspouts with new copper ones. The new downspouts should retain their bright metallic hue for around a year, according to Caleb Lenz and Seth Reed of Weathercraft, before they weather naturally into a gray-green patina color.
Esther Hall is the only residential building getting a significant update. The dorm houses upperclassmen males, and was, until summer 2024, the only dorm that lacked central air conditioning.
“Esther will be the big improvement that students will notice,” said Kim Boyce, Concordia’s chief operating officer.
The dorm’s plumbing and electrical systems also were updated, along with individual rooms, lounges and the laundry facilities. A few rooms were added to the lower level to increase accessibility.
“The plan would be to update Obed in the summer of 2026,” said Boyce. Obed is one dorm that hasn’t received significant changes in many years.
Renovations on the Jesse women’s bathroom on Aug. 22. Photo credit: Nora Betts
Concordia Professor of Art Seth Boggs painted a colorful Bulldog mural on the wall of the Dog House restaurant, located in the lower level of Janzow Campus Center. Boggs graduated from CUNE in 2003 and has been teaching here since 2007.
Other buildings received some new furniture, including Thom Leadership Education Center and the Strieter dorm. The new Borland Center for Music and Theatre received the last of its signage. Finally, an updated security system brought new cameras and technology to campus for enhanced safety.
Students can also look forward to having micro-fridges and microwaves in their dorm rooms this year, a new installment to all non-apartment dorm buildings.
All of these updates together, according to Boyce, lead to an “enhanced residence life in upgraded dorms…adding a lot to the student experience.”
