A new update regarding the construction of Monroe Hall will cost Loyola University New Orleans about $12.8 million additional dollars according to vice provost for information technology Bret Jacobs.
Jacobs said, “The total cost of the project was originally estimated at $80M. The final cost will exceed this in the neighborhood of 16 percent”
The decision to add a seventh floor to Monroe Hall was decided after looking at several possibilities, according to Jacobs.
The Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J. said, “I also looked at the costs and evaluated the costs and the benefits of the different options.”
According to Jacobs, the project will pay for more space and indoor renovations. Jacobs said the total cost will pay for “23,000 square feet of additional space.” Two additional science laboratories will be added, and a place for the theatre department to have a new home in Monroe Hall will exist.
Wildes said, “I think the new building will dramatically improve facilities for our faculty and students and support the improvement of teaching, research and learning.”
Loyola students have mixed feelings about the update to the Monroe Hall renovations. Some students are concerned about what their money is specifically paying for.
Chae Jiles, mass communication sophomore said, “The fact that Loyola didn’t keep the original budget is concerning. That’s when issues and questions arise such as: Why is our tuition rising? Is it for construction purposes?”
She does not believe that the renovations in Monroe Hall will improve her future. She said, “I honestly loved Monroe before construction – it was the quirky building on Loyola’s campus. It gave students something to laugh and talk about.”
Chantal Gainous, psychology sophomore, said that the renovation’s straying from the original budget concerns her “a little bit.”
On the other hand, she believes that Monroe hall will improve her future at Loyola. She said, “I think that there will be more access for us all and more interaction with the professors.”
Xavier Lacayo, mass communication sophomore said, “I’m not overly concerned for the budget, the only problem I see is that our tuition will go up, which can be a problem. I hope it doesn’t stray too much because then everyone will feel it in their expenses.”
Lacayo believes that his future will benefit from the Monroe Hall renovations. He said, “[The renovations] not only give it more aesthetic value but also bigger and more modern classrooms that are equipped with the best technology. The more updates it receives, the better the programs that are based in Monroe will work. I look forward to seeing the new Monroe.”
