NEWS

WCC campus furniture upgraded

Workers unpack and set up new furniture in the T.I. building. Josh Mehay | Washtenaw Community College

By Danny Villalobos
Staff Writer

There will soon be more places to sit and open a book or a laptop in lobby areas across campus – about 50 percent more. As part of a project to replace old furnishings, WCC has expanded total number of seats in lobbies and common areas.   

The college spent $210,000 on the new furniture, said Charles Smith, director of design and construction services at WCC. Money came from the college’s capital furniture fund. The new furniture comes from KI of Green Bay, Wis.

Smith said the old furniture will either be going to inventory, disposed of, recycled, sold on eBay or be repurposed for further use in a different building.

The investment is due to insufficient seating and the condition of furniture nearing the end of its life-cycle, according to a report presented to the Board of Trustees last May.

In areas where the new furniture has been installed, the change seemed welcomed.

New couches in the T.I. building are just one of the many new furniture installations at WCC. Josh Mehay | Washtenaw Community College

“The vibe kind of made me feel like I was in a prison – I don’t know how to describe it – but now it feels comfortable and inviting,” said student Alyssa Licavoli, 21.

Licavoli’s friends Ashley Piepsney, 20, and Mary Logsdon, 21 agreed.

“I feel like it’s a lot more inviting and I like how there’s a lot more tables instead of just chairs so you can study,” Piepsney said.

Before the change, the students said they would usually go back and study at their homes, but the new additional seating gave them the opportunity to stay on campus.

“I’ll probably be going to the Student Center a lot more often rather than going back to my apartment to study,” said Licavoli.

All floors of LA and BE will have new furniture, while only the first floor of TI, second floor of the Student Center, and third floor of the GM building get new furnishings.

Comments

comments

Danny Villalobos

Recent Posts

Aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe returns to inspire at TEDxWCC

Sofia Oganezova Staff Writer Before becoming an astronaut, Aisha Bowe was told by a high…

2 days ago

Campus experts provide strategies for avoiding stress

Alice McGuire Editor April is Stress Awareness and Counseling Awareness Month.  Students commonly find themselves…

3 days ago

Remembering the Armenian Genocide through inherited memory

Sofia Oganezova Staff Writer On April 24, Armenians around the world will gather to remember…

3 days ago

Campus community embodies Living Stories

Alice McGuire | Editor WCC’s annual personal storytelling event, Living Stories, featured dozens of titles…

1 week ago

“Hoppers” gives Pixar fans a nice little nugget (4 out of 5 stars)

Henry Sincic Contributor For those who grew up in the dot-com era and beyond, it…

1 week ago

WCC earns community impact honors

Yana McGuire Deputy Editor From helping adult learners complete degrees to reducing campus waste, WCC’s…

2 weeks ago