Dordt University is buzzing with equipment this summer with seven major construction and renovation projects taking place.
“This is probably the most intense period of construction at Dordt in recent history,” says Howard Wilson, vice president for operations. “We are thankful for our many construction and design partners, who are working very hard to make these great places for Dordt students to learn and live.”
On Highway 75, at Dordt’s Agriculture Stewardship Center, the trusses and siding are erected on the new monoslope livestock building, slated to be home to 50 beef cattle and 75 dairy heifers this fall. The space will provide agriculture majors a new lab and opportunities for additional hands-on experiences.
Across the street from the university, the American State Bank Sports Complex, the indoor turf facility, has broken ground with dirt work completed by Boer and Sons, metal framing for the headhouse going up, and piers being placed for the dome foundation. The project is scheduled to be done in late fall, and in use early in 2023. The space will provide a place for local community and recreation leagues to enjoy, opportunities for regional athletic tournaments, and space for Dordt’s softball, soccer, baseball, and football teams.
On Dordt’s main campus, dirt is being moved and cement poured for a new parking lot located behind the Kuyper and Southview Apartments, near the soccer field. This will provide a new space to park for students who previously parked in the All Seasons Center and B.J. Haan parking lots. Due to the construction of the American State Bank Sports Complex across the street from Dordt, the overflow parking in the prior spaces will be limited.
Dordt is also renovating the basement of Covenant Hall, the women’s dorm on the east end of campus, providing bedrooms for 16 students. The construction includes adding egress windows and building new rooms and student lounge space. Due to record enrollment in the 2021-22 academic year, the university is creating this additional space for the increase in on-campus residents.
Dordt is renovating the former KDCR radio building into office spaces for the football program. The building will house the coaches and be a space that welcomes numerous recruits who visit throughout the year.
The Recreation Center is being renovated, which includes a new track surface, new divider curtains, resurfacing of existing playing surfaces, new paint, a new check-in desk, branding, and LED lighting throughout the space.
The university is also renovating part of the lower level of the library for a new Academic Enrichment Center, which will include office space, tutoring spaces, and collaborative spaces to enhance student learning. This updated area will provide academic support for students of all majors.
In the B.J. Haan Auditorium, Dordt’s Casavant organ is being renovated, with new pipes being installed. Dordt has seen increased support of the church music and organ program, and in spring 2022 had 16 students taking organ lessons.
“It is exciting to walk around Dordt’s campus and see the updates being made in preparation for the start of the 2022-23 academic year,” says President Erik Hoekstra. “The construction projects taking place this summer will help us to continue to live out our mission, as these improvements will allow students to gain the skills they need to ultimately ‘work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal.’”
The projects are supported by Dordt’s Planting for the Future capital campaign, the largest campaign in the institution’s history, with a goal of raising $90 million. The campaign supports building and renovation projects, in addition to supporting faculty research, student scholarships, and the endowment.
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