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Sangren Hall:
Existing Building Conditions and Functionality

A successful and cost-effective renovation project requires: Simultaneously addressing functional obsolescence and building deficiencies. Meeting both institutional and user needs.

Existing Conditions:

• Sangren Hall is functionally obsolete:  Sangren Hall was built at a time when chalk and chalkboards were the standard for presentations and lectures, computers were “mainframes”, and mimeograph machines made paper copies.  The basic building configuration cannot be easily adapted to 21st century classroom technologies and teaching methodologies.  The building’s infrastructure (lighting, communications, electrical) do not support today’s academic standards and expectations.

• Sangren Hall is structurally deficient:  Over the years tight budgets have hampered the University’s ability to adequately address regular scheduled maintenance.  Sangren Hall’s major building systems have all exceeded their life expectancy.  Deferred maintenance issues are critical and need to be addressed immediately. 

Specific instructional and building needs:

• Classrooms must support multi-media presentations, both wired and "wireless" computer technology, and interactive web-based course content.  They must be barrier-free accessible and provide lighting and ventilation adequate for a healthful environment.

• Sangren Hall’s four large lecture rooms, twenty-five classrooms, and three conference rooms all require extensive upgrades to match the instructional technology capabilities that are considered standard in the newer classroom buildings.  Many of these rooms suffer inadequate lighting and ventilation and poor sight lines.  The lecture rooms do not have barrier-free-accessible lecture platforms, and some do not have adequate barrier-free seating.

• Vacated art studios on the ground floor will require significant renovations in order to be re-used for lecture and classroom space.

• The Department of Art was an original occupant of Sangren Hall. In general, studio spaces have different physical requirements than classrooms:  open ceilings, sinks and floor drains, darkrooms and “blackbox” spaces.  Even new studio spaces must be modified to accommodate lecture-based learning.  Where such instructional features exist in the vacated studios they do not meet current standards.
• The physical nature of art instruction takes more of a toll on a building than do regular classroom or office activities.  At a minimum, refurbishment involves repair or replacement of surfaces, finishes, and lighting.

• According to the 1996 Building Condition Survey conducted by the architecture/engineering firm HarleyEllis:

• The majority of the building systems, including architectural, mechanical (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning), plumbing and electrical, are outmoded and energy-inefficient, have exceeded their life expectancies, and are in need of major repair or replacement.
• The building envelope is a source of chronic water infiltration and is highly energy inefficient
• Sangren Hall does not meet current building codes and standards for life safety, ventilation, and fire suppression.

The 1996 report is on file at WMU Campus Facilities.