The University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees authorized the use of $69,000 in University Funds and $631,000 in UCONN 2000 bond funds for Residential Life Facilities to replace showers in two buildings of the Alumni Quadrangle residential area. (Amar Batra/The Daily Campus)
The University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees authorized the use of $69,000 in University Funds and $631,000 in UCONN 2000 bond funds for Residential Life Facilities to replace showers in two buildings of the Alumni Quadrangle residential area.
“It’s more accurate to say the showers are being replaced than being renovated,” University Spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said. “The work involves tearing them out entirely and putting in new showers with new plumbing and valves, plus work on the floors and areas around the shower.”
The Alumni Quad consists of four buildings: Watson Hall, Eddy Hall, Brock Hall and Belden Hall. These halls are home to primarily first- and second-year students.
“The showers are moldy and gross. It’s finally time they’re doing something about it,” second-semester physiology and neurobiology Shyam Patel said.
Only the showers in Brock and Eddy are under plan to be demolished and rebuilt, according to the Board of Trustees. They will have new ceramic tiles, valves, fixtures and accessories.
According to the Board of Trustees, despite several repairs to the shower areas in Brock and Eddy over the years they still continue to leak into the rooms below.
“Two are good and one has barely any water pressure at all,” fourth-semester student and Alumni resident Asa Brigandi said. “One of them barely functions.”
Brigandi, a resident of Brock Hall, didn’t notice any water damage to the rooms below the shower areas. He stated they are like normal college dorm showers.
“I hate how one of the showers doesn’t have hot water,” second-semester actuarial science major Ryan McGloin said. “We pay insane amounts of money for housing and one of the showers never has hot water. All the shower handles are broken and the water pressure is horrible.”
Many students agree that for the price of on-campus housing the shower areas could be in better condition.
The floor of the shower areas are only plastic instead of tiles, second-semester management and engineering for manufacturing major Maxwell Lezon said. He also stated that the plastic floor is gross and crackling in all the showers.
“The shower situation didn’t start well and it still hasn’t improved. It’s about time they do some serious work on the restroom facilities,” second-semester chemistry major Andrew Boudreau said.
Emma DeGrandi is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at emma.degrandi@uconn.edu.
Grab photographer Owen Bonaventura contributed reporting
