WKU unveils renovation plans for Cherry Hall
WBKO News | South-Central Kentucky
[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '4.799', 'text': 'Hometown happenings. A familiar symbol'}, {'start': '2.320', 'end': '6.960', 'text': "on WKU's campus is getting a major"}, {'start': '4.799', 'end': '9.360', 'text': 'facelift. Cherry Hall, one of the'}, {'start': '6.960', 'end': '13.200', 'text': "university's most iconic buildings, is"}, {'start': '9.360', 'end': '15.120', 'text': "set for a $75 million renovation. WBKO's"}, {'start': '13.200', 'end': '17.359', 'text': 'Matthew Welsh shows us how this project'}, {'start': '15.120', 'end': '18.680', 'text': 'aims to preserve the past while making'}, {'start': '17.359', 'end': '20.880', 'text': 'space for the'}, {'start': '18.680', 'end': '23.840', 'text': 'future. Cherry Hall has stood as a'}, {'start': '20.880', 'end': '25.680', 'text': "centerpiece for WKU's campus since 1937."}, {'start': '23.840', 'end': '27.680', 'text': 'Now, the university is preparing major'}, {'start': '25.680', 'end': '29.039', 'text': 'renovations to honor its past while'}, {'start': '27.680', 'end': '30.000', 'text': 'equipping the building for modern'}, {'start': '29.039', 'end': '31.679', 'text': 'learning.'}, {'start': '30.000', 'end': '33.760', 'text': 'Cherry Hall is not just a classroom'}, {'start': '31.679', 'end': '37.200', 'text': 'building. It is a symbol and it'}, {'start': '33.760', 'end': '39.840', 'text': 'represents WKU in many ways. And our'}, {'start': '37.200', 'end': '41.840', 'text': 'alumni have memories of walking up the'}, {'start': '39.840', 'end': '43.440', 'text': 'marble stairs and carving their'}, {'start': '41.840', 'end': '45.280', 'text': "footsteps into the institution's"}, {'start': '43.440', 'end': '47.200', 'text': 'history. Project leaders say preserving'}, {'start': '45.280', 'end': '48.960', 'text': 'as much original material as possible is'}, {'start': '47.200', 'end': '50.879', 'text': 'a top priority, even if that means'}, {'start': '48.960', 'end': '54.079', 'text': 'carefully dismantling century old'}, {'start': '50.879', 'end': '55.920', 'text': "marble. So when you're rem removing or"}, {'start': '54.079', 'end': '57.680', 'text': 'salvaging material from an existing'}, {'start': '55.920', 'end': '59.440', 'text': 'building, you never know if that piece'}, {'start': '57.680', 'end': '62.640', 'text': 'of mar marble is going to come off'}, {'start': '59.440', 'end': '64.879', 'text': "intact. So we can't plan to use every"}, {'start': '62.640', 'end': '67.520', 'text': 'inch of it, but we have a little safety'}, {'start': '64.879', 'end': '69.840', 'text': 'measure. So we we plan enough and we we'}, {'start': '67.520', 'end': '71.920', 'text': 'hope we cross our fingers that those'}, {'start': '69.840', 'end': '73.520', 'text': 'pieces come off intact so we can reuse'}, {'start': '71.920', 'end': '75.040', 'text': 'them throughout. From day one,'}, {'start': '73.520', 'end': '76.799', 'text': 'architects held focus groups with'}, {'start': '75.040', 'end': '78.720', 'text': 'students, faculty, and staff to shape'}, {'start': '76.799', 'end': '81.040', 'text': 'every corridor, classroom, and common'}, {'start': '78.720', 'end': '82.960', 'text': "area. We're trying to modernize the"}, {'start': '81.040', 'end': '85.119', 'text': "building. We're adding that visibility"}, {'start': '82.960', 'end': '87.119', 'text': "and transparency so that it's easier to"}, {'start': '85.119', 'end': '88.640', 'text': 'find your way throughout the building.'}, {'start': '87.119', 'end': '90.479', 'text': "We've noticed through our research that"}, {'start': '88.640', 'end': '92.079', 'text': "that's especially important for first"}, {'start': '90.479', 'end': '93.680', 'text': 'generation college students that we'}, {'start': '92.079', 'end': '95.600', 'text': 'remove those barriers to that'}, {'start': '93.680', 'end': '97.200', 'text': 'circulation. So if you see something,'}, {'start': '95.600', 'end': '99.520', 'text': 'you know you can go that way and find'}, {'start': '97.200', 'end': '101.600', 'text': 'those resources. Inside classrooms will'}, {'start': '99.520', 'end': '104.240', 'text': 'become flexible technology rich spaces'}, {'start': '101.600', 'end': '107.040', 'text': 'designed for group work. Students learn'}, {'start': '104.240', 'end': '109.439', 'text': 'together. They learned in applied ways.'}, {'start': '107.040', 'end': '110.880', 'text': 'And a building built a 100 years ago'}, {'start': '109.439', 'end': '112.079', 'text': "really isn't set up for that kind of"}, {'start': '110.880', 'end': '114.320', 'text': "learning. And so what you're going to"}, {'start': '112.079', 'end': '116.799', 'text': 'see are classrooms that are movable,'}, {'start': '114.320', 'end': '118.719', 'text': 'spaces that are changeable, and an'}, {'start': '116.799', 'end': '120.719', 'text': 'experience that allows students not just'}, {'start': '118.719', 'end': '122.640', 'text': 'to learn together in a classroom, but'}, {'start': '120.719', 'end': '125.040', 'text': 'learn learn together outside of class'}, {'start': '122.640', 'end': '127.280', 'text': 'time in spaces that we hope are sticky'}, {'start': '125.040', 'end': '129.599', 'text': 'and keep them in the building throughout'}, {'start': '127.280', 'end': '131.599', 'text': 'the day. Renovations begin this summer'}, {'start': '129.599', 'end': '134.000', 'text': 'and are expected to conclude in fall of'}, {'start': '131.599', 'end': '137.280', 'text': "2027 in Bowling Green. I'm Matthew"}, {'start': '134.000', 'end': '139.440', 'text': 'Welch, WBKO News.'}, {'start': '137.280', 'end': '141.280', 'text': 'And while construction is underway at'}, {'start': '139.440', 'end': '144.080', 'text': 'Cherry Hall, classes will temporarily'}, {'start': '141.280', 'end': '144.080', 'text': 'move to Bryce'}]