2013-15 state capital budget awards Western $18.8M for capital projects

Western Washington University is pleased to have received $18.8 million in capital funding from the state for new projects that will preserve and upgrade classrooms, labs, buildings and campus infrastructure.

Projects include:

• $4,746,000 Classroom and Lab Upgrades Phase 2 – This project will continue to upgrade departmental laboratories and classrooms so that Western can continue to offer state of the art teaching facilities and improve our utilization and capacities.
• $2,947,000 The Performing Arts Exterior Renewal - This project will upgrade seriously degraded exterior cladding and roofing systems on the Performing Arts Center.
• $3,582,000 North Campus Utility Upgrade – This project will convert the final portion of the campus electrical system to a new 12,470 volt looped system. This will significantly increase system reliability and repair response time as well as mitigate the possibility of future system outages.
• $7,500,000 Preservation Minor Works Projects – This funding will allow the University to execute some badly needed preservation projects throughout the campus during the 2013-15 biennium.

Due to economic constraints throughout the state and despite the hard work of WWU’s team, Carver Academic Renovation construction was not funded for the 2013-2015 biennium. Western has been actively seeking funding for Carver Academic Renovation over many biennia and received design funding in the 2011-13 biennium. The university will continue its diligent efforts to gain construction funding for Carver and is considering a construction funding request for Carver for the 2014 supplemental budget session.