University of Toledo receives $500,000 for campus upgrades

In October, State Representative Michael Ashford announced the release of over $500,000 in state funds to the University of Toledo for major renovations and upgrades across campus. The Ohio House of Representatives press release stated that the investment will go towards State Biennium projects including an upgrade to the fiber network, installation of new water cooling towers, complete waterproofing work and renovation of a health science research laboratory.

“We were awarded the funding based upon our Biennium submission to the Ohio Department of Higher Education Capital Funding Commission,” said Jason Toth, associate vice president for facilities and construction.

According to the press release, several university buildings across campus will receive $131,200 for weatherproofing. The upgrades will include roof replacements as well as the cleaning and or replacement of doors, masonry, and window glazing, all to eliminate existing or potential leaks.

“Each State funded institution submits requests to the Ohio Department of Higher Education for Biennium Appropriations,” said Toth. “Awards are made based upon review and approval by the Commission.”

The press release also stated that $49,100 will go towards the fiber network on the north main campus. The current fiber cabling is over 30 years old and causes hardware failures that limit network services. The limitations of the fiber network adversely impact the quality of classroom instruction services for students, limits network capacity and availability, and could compromise security and video surveillance for faculty, staff and students.

“For generations, the University of Toledo has educated the best and brightest to be leaders in the most competitive industries,” Ashford said. “These renovations will ensure the university is able to continue to fulfill its mission and to provide students with a state-of-the-art learning environment that will best prepare them for success in the working world.”

The North and South Chilled Water Plants on main campus will receive $170,250 for upgrades, according to the release. It continued that the water systems project will add cooling towers for the two existing chillers in the South Chilled Water Plant and a new chiller for the North Chilled Water Plant.

The North Chilled Water Plant has exceeded its current capacity while the South Chilled Water Plant is not fully operational. Thus, adding cooling towers to the South Plant and a chiller upgrade at the North will provide greater consistency, resulting in more effective energy use and a more comfortable and productive learning environment for students and faculty, the release states.

“The award for the Fiscal Year 17/18 Biennium is in line with the appropriation that UT has been awarded in the last several submissions,” Toth said.

The 44 year-old scientific wet laboratories in the Health Science Building will also receive $183,900 to help pay for renovations. According to the release, office, support, and service spaces associated with these labs will be renovated.