Steeple renovation at WVWC complete, master plan process underway

BUCKHANNON, W.Va (WDTV) – Officials say the restoration of West Virginia Wesleyan College’s iconic steeple is complete and a campus facilities master planning process is underway.

Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing John Waltz says he is thrilled to see the upgrades to Wesley Chapel, McCuskey Hall, and more.

“We are thrilled to see these important upgrades to Wesley Chapel, McCuskey Hall, and to so many of our visible and less visible spaces,” Waltz said. “The detailed work to beautify public spaces has continued to impress campus visitors from around the country and the world. The campus master plan process will ensure we are meeting the ever-changing needs of students for years to come.”

One of the upgrades is a $2.2 million renovation to McCuskey Hall. The second and third residential floors of the hall have been remodeled with rooms receiving individualized heating and cooling units, fresh paint, new ceilings and floors. Additionally, plumbing and wiring were replaced, stairwells and hallways were upgraded, and LED lighting and a new roof was installed.

Wesley Chapel’s steeple, a campus icon, took more than a year to be renovated. The project involved replacing louvers and wood where needed as well as cleaning, scraping, sanding, caulking, and painting the steeple with a long-life paint.

The College is also launching a campus facilities master plan process to fall in line with the strategic planning process.

Denny McMaster, vice president for finance says the master plan will help create a plan of action.

“The whole purpose of the master plan is to tell us where we are at and to help us develop a plan of action.”

From data collection to the final report, the master planning process will be a series of eight steps that look at such items as space utilization, sustainability, parking, and pedestrian flow. It will involve input from students, faculty, and staff from all areas of the campus.

WVWC last undertook a master plan process in 2009.

The master plan will be submitted to the board of trustees for review later this fall.

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