The University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas campus has more than 140 additional classroom seats thanks to a Classroom Administration (CA) Building rehabilitation project completed by UVI's Physical Plant Department.
When several departments relocated from the CA Building to the Administration and Conference Center in 2007, spaces were left empty. During the summer the empty spaces were transformed into classrooms, a laboratory and faculty offices. Additionally, the Division of Science and Mathematics administrative office was relocated to a smaller space and the old office was turned into a classroom. Also, CA Building room 302 was totally renovated.
"We completed the job on time for the Fall semester," acting St. Thomas Campus Executive Administrator Lily Mae Durante said. "We have been able to accommodate eight additional classes and have increased our classroom capacity by at least 140 seats."
The new classrooms, located in CA Building rooms 203, 204 and 205, together provide 100 classroom seats. CA Building 204 is wired for video conferencing.
On the third floor, CA Building 302, the largest instructional theater-style classroom in the building, was totally renovated. A new foundation and flooring were installed for the mounting of new tables, chairs and carpeting. A new acoustical ceiling was also installed, as well as interior finishes like new lighting and blinds. The room seats 70.
The rehabilitation project was completed in three months, in time for the start of the Fall 2009 semester. Along with the Physical Plant Department, contractors Daniel Construction and Central Air performed the major work.
"It allowed us to address a critical need for space on the St. Thomas campus," Durante said.