What’s going on in the old WVU Business and Economics building? | WVU News

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The former WVU Business and Economics building was renamed Field Hall and will soon house programs from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

Located on the downtown campus, Field Hall is on the site of Mountaineer Field, WVU’s original football stadium.

The John Chambers College of Business has been operating from its new facility, Reynolds Hall, following its opening in August.

Associate Chancellor Mark Gavin said the Eberly departments seeking relocation are currently skewed around the downtown campus and could include public administration, leadership studies, political science, sociology, anthropology, social work and communication studies. The relocation is intended to bring Eberly’s programs in the social sciences to a central location on campus.

“We have a downtown plan that is continuously evaluated and always adjusted on how units will be moved as space becomes available,” he said. “What we have now is a plan that would have that building occupied by various Eberly apartments.”

Gavin said the University will undergo a series of renovations over the next year.

“We’re going to take the opportunity to refresh the building aesthetically with new flooring, paint, furniture and seating where things are a little dated and worn, but we’re also going to do it on the technology front,” he said.

Construction on the renovation will begin in late spring or early summer, with the projected completion date sometime in May 2024.

Students and staff will not have access to the building during the entire process, which Gavin said is intended to decrease educational distractions on campus.

“I would classify this as a moderate renovation. We’re not doing what we’re doing at Hodges Hall, but it’s still important enough that it would be incredibly disruptive to have people in the building while this work is going on,” Gavin said.

Gregory Dunaway, dean of Eberly College, also said the building that remains offline during the renovation is in the best interest of students and staff.

“Well, currently, we have good facilities for programs that aren’t there, so there’s no detriment to the university,” Dunaway said. “Obviously we’re eager to get on with this, but renovation, any renovation on campus, takes time, you have to go through some bidding, and then you hire people and then you do the work.”

Plus, Dunaway said the wait will be worth it.

“I know it’s hard, particularly when students are only here for a certain amount of time, to expect some of these things. But I think one of the main things is that the vast majority of our social science programs will be together, and I think by putting them in this building, a new field will really elevate the presence of behavioral social sciences on campus.”

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