The construction around the newly renovated Chamberlin Hall is almost complete, meaning pedestrians will soon be able to use the whole of the sidewalk and not listen to a jackhammer as they walk.
UW-Madison made the decision to redo the current building instead of constructing a brand-new one because of its stunning structure, according to Al Fish, UW-Madison associate vice chancellor of facilities planning and management.
\Chamberlin Hall is a classic example of a one 100-year-old building that has a great structure and some beautiful architecture that we want to restore and preserve,"" Fish said.
Over the past year and a half, major reconstruction has been underway outside the building along Charter Street and University Avenue.
According to Doug Sabatke, the architect on the project, the amount of work necessary inside was also extensive.
""What we needed to do when the School of Pharmacy left was that the majority of the space was original, from the 1900s, so it was essentially gutted ... and brought up to modern standards,"" Sabatke said.
Moving into the new and improved hall will be the physics department, currently located in Sterling Hall.
Originally, Chamberlin housed the pharmacy department. When it moved to its new location in Rennebohm Hall, however, the opportunity arose for physics to upgrade.
According to Don Reeder, physics department chair, the move from Sterling has both advantages and disadvantages.
""It's a mixed bag at some levels; we're not getting as much space as before but the space is of much, much greater quality,"" Reeder said.
The decision of quality versus quantity will hopefully alleviate problems physics was having in Sterling Hall such as dust, vibrations and air-conditioning, Reeder said.
The move to Chamberlin does decrease the amount of space available to the department, but the building offers new features currently unavailable in Sterling. The newer classrooms, offices and laboratory space give students and staff a better learning environment, Fish said.
In addition, Fish also noted contractors added one entire floor to the top of Chamberlin to house equipment and minimize noise.
""Students that have seen the building before the construction took place won't recognize the interior of it ... space has been opened up a lot more and it is much more inviting,"" Sabatke said.
The project originally was slated for completion in September, but due to changes in university security policies, it had to be pushed back. Doug Sabatke hopes the project will be completed by the end of December.
The outdoor construction is almost completed; Charter Street will be opening back up to traffic and pedestrians as early as next week.
The physics department will begin to make the complete transition into Chamberlin in January and hopes to be completed by July. The first classes will be summer school classes following this spring semester, and then Chamberlin will be fully available for all classes next fall.
Doug Sabatke said he has high hopes. ""In general, it is going to be a lot nicer place to be because of the upgrade,"" he said.
