It’s said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – which is why public university officials are eager to launch maintenance projects for campus buildings that have been postponed for far too long.
As the NC House and Senate begin negotiating a compromise budget, lawmakers should heed the Senate’s call for $300 million in repair and renovation spending, with half going to University system projects.1 The House plan offers $67M for university maintenance – just one-third of the House’s spending for repairs and renovations.
“Our state buildings, our University buildings, have not been given the attention (they) need,” said Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.
The University system accounts for more than half of the state’s public buildings, and there is a large and growing backlog of repair and renovation needs.
The University’s 2013 strategic plan highlighted nearly $2.2 billion in deferred maintenance for campus infrastructure, calling on the state to identify long-term funds for upkeep and renovation.2 Analysts recommend spending about 3% of the value of existing public buildings on annual maintenance, which would come to more than $630 million a year in North Carolina.3
Addressing critical repairs requires near-term investment, but often saves taxpayers money in the long run. By preventing catastrophic problems and extending the life of public buildings, repair and renovation funds maximize the value of state properties.
Among the highest-priority projects:
- A $30 million upgrade to energy production at Western Carolina University, replacing a steam plant built in the 1920s that provides heat to 35 buildings.4 This badly needed project has been on hold since 2006, even as WCU’s campus has grown.5
- A complete refurbishing of NC State University’s Ricks Hall, constructed in 1922 and last renovated in 1976. The classical building is home to NCSU’s Agriculture and Life Sciences technology office, as well as the Agricultural Extension Education office.
- Renovation of the Lyons Science Building at Fayetteville State University to provide safer, more modern laboratory space to train the next generation of STEM graduates.
- A comprehensive renovation of NC Central’s Taylor Education Building, first opened in 1955.
- Upgrades to East Carolina’s Whichard Hall, which needs a new roof, more efficient HVAC system, and an electrical overhaul.
In addition to $1 billion in new STEM-related facilities, the University’s Board of Governors has called for $500 million in repairs and renovations, with half going to critical projects that were put on hold during the Great Recession and the rest aimed at keeping up with ongoing maintenance.6
No legislative proposal comes close to addressing those needs. Though the House’s version of the state budget is on the whole better for higher education, the Senate’s proposal for repair and renovation projects at least takes a step in the right direction.
Investment in state infrastructure would also be a boon to North Carolina’s still-flagging construction industry, which suffered heavily during the recession. In addition to providing students with state-of-the-art facilities, building projects would support thousands of well-paying jobs in North Carolina, strengthening the state’s economic revival.7
1 http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Bills/House/PDF/H97v7.pdf, p. 451
2 http://www.northcarolina.edu/sites/default/files/strategic_directions_2013-2018_0.pdf
3 http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article20863212.html
4 http://www.wcu.edu/WebFiles/PDFs/WCU_2014CampusMasterPlan_ScreenRes.pdf, p. 112
5 http://www.wcu.edu/WebFiles/PDFs/Steam__Water_Master_Plan_40429-320E1_(2).pdf
6 http://www.northcarolina.edu/apps/bog/doc.php?id=45125&code=bog
7 https://www.cagc.org/contractors_bldg/files/NC_Building_Buzz_November_2013.pdf
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