O’Dowd Hall photo by Chelsea Bistue
O’DOWD HALL
Building a better campus By Natalie Popovski and Kevin Graham Designed by Rifath Hoque 10
January 18, 2012 // The Oakland Post
Compared with the other buildings on campus, O’Dowd Hall has become known for its shiny, glass exterior. This will be refurbished due to weather damages starting late spring. O’Dowd Hall will be undergoing a $4.5 million renovation beginning in May. The project is expected to last nine months, according to Terry Stollsteimer, associate vice president of facilities management at Oakland University. Completed in 1981, named after former OU psychology professor turned university president, Donald O’Dowd, the hall is 31-years-old. “Problems with the building’s curtain glass window system are the reason for the renovation,” Stollsteimer said. “Since its installation, there have been 11 leak areas within it.” Errors with the windows have left O’Dowd exposed to the elements. Over the years, the leaks have allowed for snow and rain to enter the building, causing the most damage. The renovation will not only fix building problems, but also bring with it a new look for O’Dowd. “The east and west side of the building will become a metallic gray color and the north and south side will become an earth-toned color,” Stollsteimer said. Along with the new colors, O’Dowd will receive new window paneling. The DeMaria Building Company, a Detroit-headquartered business with a regional office in Novi, will be handling the project. “The DeMaria Company is not a stranger to Oakland University. DeMaria has done work for labs at Oakland in the past,” Stollsteimer said. O’Dowd hall plans on keeping its doors open during the renovations, though. The hall currently houses the William Beaumont School of Medicine and various departments, programs and centers. Although classes will continue in O’Dowd as planned during the renovation, office space may be affected. Once work begins in office areas, renovations will be done four offices at a time. Offices being renovated could be used if need be but will be temporarily provided with an alternate space, Stollsteimer said. They plan on starting renovations near the auditorium classroom and work clockwise around the building.
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