Portions of the southwest corner of campus have been under construction in the last semester, including the historic Fiske Hall south of McKinley, as well as Alumni Drive, which will become part of a pedestrian pathway from Shocker Hall to McKnight Art Center.

Fiske Hall stands firm in its original shape, but is now surrounded by construction equipment and mass piles of cinderblocks. Emily Patterson, associate director of Facilities Planningat Wichita State, said the plan includes adding an elevator and an exit stairwell.

“In addition to being the oldest building on campus, Fiske Hall is also one of the last remaining buildings that is not wheelchair accessible,” she said.

The added wheelchair ramp and elevator allows for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) compliance. The building already has a stair-lift chair for the handicapped, but improvements will make it 100 percent wheelchair accessible.

Fiske Hall was built in 1904 and was originally constructed to be a dormitory fit to house about 70 men. Now, it houses the departments of history, geography, philosophy and international programs. It is not only the oldest building on campus, but it is also one of the oldest buildings at any Kansas college or university.

The building has witnessed the institution change its names from Fairmount College (1895), to Municipal University of Wichita (1926-64), to Wichita State University (1964-present). It was where the Phi Delta Theta chapter at WSU was founded, as well as being the home to an infirmary during the 1918 influenza epidemic.

Patterson said the main building additions are expected to be complete by mid-spring, but the renovation of a second-floor office into a bathroom will start in the summer.

As for Alumni Drive, construction equipment fenced in next to Duerksen Fine Arts Center parking lot will be the new pedestrian plaza.

“The final phase of the project is to replace and relocate the steam and chilled water lines serving the local buildings in the area, along with converting the Alumni Drive into a pedestrian plaza,” Patterson said.

The project was divided into different phases spanning over three years. Patterson said the final phase will complete the Alumni Drive renovation to a permanent pedestrian walkway. Handicapped parking spaces have been included into the Morrison Hall parking lot.