Clark State College will begin the fourth and final phase of renovations to its landmark Rhodes Hall building following graduation (May 13) this year.

“We are taking this summer to renovate and update the four science labs, the exterior envelope of Rhodes Hall, and the western plaza area that leads to the parking lot,” said Doug Schantz, executive vice president for finance, facilities, and operations at Clark State.

The renovation of Rhodes Hall on Clark State’s campus began in 2014. The first phase of renovation was primarily focused on updating the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure of the building. The second phase of renovations (2019) enhanced the student and faculty learning environment by modernizing the classrooms, restrooms, hallways, flooring, and faculty offices on the third floor. The third phase of renovations (2021) addressed similar needs on the second floor.

Schantz said the funding for the Rhodes Hall facility project was allocated to Clark State through the state’s capital budget.

“The total budget for this renovation is $6,258,996 and includes construction, architectural/engineering design, furnishings, and contingency funds,” he said. “Similar to previous phases, Clark State is managing this project in conjunction with the Ohio Facilities and Construction Commission.”

The architects for the Rhodes Hall project are Emersion Design, LLC (Cincinnati, OH), the engineering firm is CMTA (Dublin, OH), and the construction firm is Brumbaugh Construction, Inc (Arcanum, OH).

Schantz said this fourth phase will complete the renovation of Rhodes Hall and Clark State will move on to the Applied Science Center for future capital improvements.

A total of 48,000 square feet in Rhodes Hall will be renovated when the entire project is completed. The last facilities update to Rhodes Hall was in the mid-90s; it was constructed in 1968 and was the first building on the main campus in Springfield.

“We look forward to this investment positively impacting the educational experience of Clark State’s students, the instructional environment of our faculty, and the functional gathering space on our campus,” said Schantz.