Construction Starts on Phase II of the Sverdrup Renovation

ST. LOUIS – The renovation of the west wing of the Sverdrup Complex, home to Webster University’s School of Communications, has started. Communications staff, faculty, student employees, Information Technology and Facilities employees worked together to remove furniture and equipment, either to temporary quarters in the east end of the building or to storage in the weeks since Fall classes ended.  The construction crew took over the space on Feb. 1, making safety arrangements first, and now they have begun with the demolition.

The work of remodeling the space and bring cutting-edge labs, equipment, and collaborative spaces to that wing is expected to be finished by the start of the Fall 2022 semester.

“This upgrade will support our faculty and students in pursuing the highest quality media and communication work in the region and give our students important professional advantages in post-graduate life by making them familiar with emerging technologies,” said Webster University School of Communications Dean Eric Rothenbuhler. “Just like with the first phase of the renovation, our community will be impressed with the new facilities.”

Phase I of the renovation was completed in 2018. It introduced new studios, interactive classrooms and spaces designed to encourage student-faculty collaboration. Phase II will add an audio and video recording suite, a sound stage, a new photography studio, an expanded gallery, and labs for video game design, animation and video design. The sound stage will include an LED video wall for virtual cinema production, providing students with experience with the newest techniques used in film, video and television production.

The construction impacts rooms 123, 131, 136, 139, 143, 247, 254, 256, 258, 260, 262, the TV Studio, Audio Studio A, the Live Sound Room, Studio B, the Photography Studio and Darkroom, the May Gallery, and all other adjacent areas west of the Sverdrup atriums. Hallways to those areas have been blocked and signage restricting entry to construction crews and authorized personnel have been added. Faculty offices in that area have been relocated.

This upgrade will support our faculty and students in pursuing the highest quality media and communication work in the region and give our students important professional advantages."

In the coming months, the University’s electronic employee newsletter Webster Today, the Sverdrup Renovation webpage (webster.edu/sverdrup-renovations/index.php) and the University’s digital newsroom (news.webster.edu) will publish “construction updates” to let the community know of activities that may be disruptive because of loud noises, dust or odors, and to also let the community know when interesting features are installed or completed.

The space is scheduled to open when students return from summer break at the end of August 2022.