Warriner Hall restrooms to become handicap accessible
Warriner Hall restrooms on the first floor are in the process of being renovated so they comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In order to meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, restrooms in Warriner Hall will be renovated with new fixtures, flooring and tile to become handicap accessible.
The ADA of 1990 is a civil rights law prohibiting unjustified discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Warriner Hall was built in 1926. The code did not exist when the restrooms were built.
The deferred maintenance project was a result of the Facilities Condition Assessment — a component of CMU's 2013 Campus Master Plan.
Domestic water replacement and construction on the second and third-floor restrooms began May 9. The total cost of the renovations in Warriner is $788,000, said former Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, Steve Lawrence.
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. worked in collaboration with the Central Michigan University Plant Engineering and Planning Department and performed assessments for existing buildings and supporting infrastructure on campus.
When the renovations are completed, the restrooms in Warriner will be accessible to all people, said Linda Slater, plant engineering and planning director.
“There will be at least one stall in each (restroom) that a wheelchair can fit into with ease, the sinks will be the right height and it will reach ADA standards,” she said.
Since the Plachta Auditorium in Warriner is used for many events, the bathroom updates were necessary to fit the needs of all guests visiting campus, said Lynne L’Hommedieu, director of Student Disability Services.
“Technically, the bathrooms were (accessible) before, but there really was not much room for a wheelchair to move around,” she said.
Construction on the first-floor restrooms outside of Plachta began Aug. 22 and will be completed Oct. 28, Project Manager Bob Francisco said.
“We want our restrooms to be comfortable and successful,” Fancisco said. “Since we have so many people using the auditorium, we want our guests to be able to access the facilities.”
