Renovations conclude at West Virginia Wesleyan College as preparations for new campus facilities master planning process begin

West Virginia Wesleyan College’s iconic steeple’s restoration is finally complete, and the renovations at McCuskey Hall are down to their finishing touches. The college has now started a campus facilities master planning process that will work to determine the needs of the school as the college looks to take on new projects in the future.

In an article posted on West Virginia Wesleyan College’s website, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, John Waltz, was quoted on the progress being made on campus, saying, “We are thrilled to see these important upgrades to Wesley Chapel, McCuskey Hall, and to so many of our visible and less visible spaces. The detailed work to beautify public spaces has continued to impress campus visitors from around the country and the world. The campus master plan process will ensure we are meeting the ever-changing needs of students for years to come.”

This summer will see the completion of the McCuskey Hall renovation, which cost the school $2.2 million. The Reeves Foundation presented the school with a two-to-one match that was combined with money from other donors to a total contribution of $652,000. The project was made possible thanks to these donations and existing college funding.

McCuskey Hall’s second and third residential floors have been remodeled as part of the project, with rooms seeing the addition of individualized cooling and heating units, new floors and ceilings, and fresh paint. Wiring and plumbing have also been replaced, and the hallways and stairwells have also seen upgrades. Energy saving LED lighting around the building is also part of the renovation, as is a new roof.

Wesley Chapel’s steeple, which serves as a campus icon, was renovated by the Steeplejacks of America with work starting in 2022, with a break being taken over the winter. The project saw replacements of wood in some areas where older wooden supports were no longer stable, as well as caulking, scraping, sanding, and painting the steeple with a long life paint. The project also saw the louvers being replaced, as well. The project was completed in time for the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Now, the school is conducting a campus facilities master plan process, which will run alongside the school’s strategic planning process.

The school’s vice president for finance Denny McMaster was quoted as saying, “The whole purpose of the master plan is to tell us where we are at and to help us develop a plan of action.”

The master planning process will start with data collection and end with a final report that looks at a series of eight steps that examine items like pedestrian flow, parking, sustainability, and space utilization. Staff, faculty, and students from around the campus will have the opportunity to add their input along the way. The last time West Virginia Wesleyan College undertook a master plan process was back in 2009. The master plan will be submitted to the board of trustees after it is finished later this fall.

More information about West Virginia Wesleyan College can be found at the school’s website.