Kent Concert Hall to be brought up to code

On Oct. 14, the courtyard in front of the Chase Fine Arts Center at Utah State University closed down because of construction. The project, which is expected to be completed by February or March, is being done on the Kent Concert Hall to bring it up to code according to standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or ADA.

According to Quin Whitaker, a structural engineer at USU who was part of a committee to approve the project, the lobby in front of the Kent will be expanded. It will replace the outside concrete stairs located at the entrance and extend to the first row of trees in front of them.

As visitors walk inside, there will be a staircase with an elevator on one side. On the level above, there will be two new restrooms.

According to Jarrod Larsen, manager of the arts center, funds for the project were provided by the state as capital improvement money to use for disability purposes. Specifically, it is to conform to ADA regulations of having an elevator.

“Say you’re in a wheelchair, and you need to get from downstairs to the Kent lobby. You’ve got to go all the way around and up the ramps,” Larsen said. “And those ramps aren’t really to code anymore. They’re really steep.”

Larsen said because the ramps are so steep, an attendant needs to be available at all times to help push someone in a wheelchair up or down.

Larsen said another purpose for the project is to put in ADA-approved restrooms. The rooms need to have at least one stall big enough for a wheelchair to get into and turn around. He said there are also some shelving issues in the restrooms that need to be up to code.

“I think it’s great they’re redoing the atrium and making it more handicapped accessible,” said Tori Moss, who works as a staff assistant in the Fine Arts-Visual side of the arts center. “But it will be great when it’s done.”

Moss said because of the construction, students attending class in the Kent have to go through an entrance at the southwest corner of the building by the music department. She said there are hundreds of students attending that class so it increases traffic flow in that area.

“It makes life so difficult for everyone,” said Chantry Olsen, who works as an office assistant in the music department. “It takes like 15 minutes to clear all of those kids out of that one exit.”

Whitaker said construction was supposed to start near the beginning of the summer and be completed by mid-November. However, budget and legislative issues delayed the process.

Whitaker said the project was initially estimated to cost $1.5 million, but it ended up being closer to $1.9 million.

“Getting those funds put together has been the biggest task,” Whitaker said. “It’s delayed the project by about two or three months.”

Whitaker said the legislature held on to the funds until May, whereas the money is usually approved by March.

According to Whitaker, the project is supposed to be done by mid-February. However, cold-weather conditions may delay it from being completed until March.