Renovation of a playground / park / athletic field in Oxford, Mississippi. Completed plans call for the renovation of a playground / park / athletic field.

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/01/18/mississippi-institutions-of-higher-learning-approves-capital-improvement-projects-for-ole-miss/72271295007/ State IHL approves capital improvement projects for Ole Miss. See what they are The University of Mississippi is expected to increase available student housing in Oxford by roughly 981 beds and see improved athletic and academic facilities over the next several years as part of a $245 million bond issue approved Thursday by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees. The bond issue is part of a combined $278 million capital improvements project at the campus that will also be funded through $5 million in private gifts, $10 million in currently appropriated state funding and $18 million in internal cash reserves. The $156 million housing project will provide residence facilities for up to 6,600 on-campus students with initial occupancy expected to be 6,200. “This will increase the debt to levels higher than we have seen in the last 10 years but the university has the room to absorb this,” IHL Trustee Tom Duff said. The Oxford campus has seen steady student growth in recent years with a 5.7% student increase in 2022 and an 8.7% increase in 2023, Duff said. The project will also provide for demolition of the existing Kincannon Hall. IHL Trustees initially approved the demolition of Kincannon on March 16, 2023. McCarty Architects has been selected as design professionals for the new building. Other projects included in the overall plan: A new softball stadium, complete with associated amenities (dugouts, seating, press box, restrooms, etc.). The stadium design will include coaches’ offices, training/treatment space, a team lounge and locker rooms. The university started demolition of the existing softball facility in May 2023. New field construction immediately followed and is set to be complete for the 2024 season with the new stadium scheduled to be complete for the 2025 season. Improvements to the university’s art, theatre and film departments, including a new scene shop and rehearsal space for the Department of Theatre & Film and a recording studio and ensemble space for the Department of Music. Renovation of the Ole Miss Soccer Complex will include additional concessions, additional restrooms (patron and team), a larger press box, a new ticket office and direct access to parking. The existing seating will be upgraded to include shade for existing seating as well as a new student seating area. Ole Miss Rifle Facility improvements to include a study of existing campus facilities and/or new campus sites to provide improved team amenities. Improvements to the Gillom Sports Center to include a new videoboard for volleyball competitions, corrections to HVAC deficiencies, office realignment for female head coaches, and enhanced student­ athlete spaces. Renovations to Vardaman Hall including a new elevator to improve accessibility to the building floors, new, energy efficient utility systems and other improvements to meet current building code/ADA requirements. Development of a comprehensive early childhood center to provide clinical and educational services for children ages birth to 6 years old. The facility will be housed in the South Oxford Center with improvements to include upgrades to common areas and infrastructure of the building. IHL trustees, in a related development on Thursday, also approved the preliminary exterior design for a planned expansion at Oxford-University Baseball Stadium. The project will focus on upgrading patron amenities along the third base line, including a Hall of Fame Plaza and new entry gates at street level. Funding for that $30 million project will be provided by self-generated athletic revenues. Thursday’s IHL meeting, which marked the first for 2024, was chaired by Dr. Alfred McNair of Gautier who serves as chief of medical staff at Biloxi Regional Medical Center and operates a private medical center in Ocean Springs. McNair, in opening the meeting, offered special recognition to Dr. Marcus L. Thompson, attending his first IHL meeting as the newly appointed President of Jackson State University, and to John Sewell, who has been hired as the new Mississippi IHL Director of Communications. __________________________________________________________ https://govmarketnews.com/ole-miss-receives-245-million-to-increase-student-housing-renovate-facilities/ The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) will improve academic and athletic facilities and increase student housing using a $245 million bond. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board of Trustees approved the funding to add almost 1,000 beds, build a softball stadium, renovate women's athletics facilities, improve arts buildings and renovate a hall. Building the student residence facility will cost $165 million, covering most of the bond issue. The school will begin the project by demolishing Kincannon Hall to make room for three residence buildings. The housing complex, totaling 337,000 square feet, will provide an additional 981 beds and student amenities. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2024. The bond will provide $42 million to build and renovate multiple women's athletics facilities. The university will build a softball stadium, including dugouts, seating, a press box, restrooms and other amenities. The project includes renovating the existing indoor team facility, playing field and the concessions and restrooms building. The stadium will also include coaches' offices, training and treatment space, a team lounge and locker rooms. The university will renovate the existing soccer complex to add more concessions, additional restrooms, a larger press box, a ticket office and direct parking access. The university will also upgrade the seating with additional shade covering, a student seating area and a shaded standing-room-only area. Ole Miss will study the rifle facility to determine how to best improve its amenities. The university will then improve lockers and restrooms, followed by building a firing range and team storage. The university will renovate and upgrade an on-campus sports center, called Gillom Sports Center. The project includes installing a videoboard and fixing the HVAC for the volleyball competition area, realigning the coaches' offices and enhancing student-athlete spaces. The IHL Board of Trustees approved $17 million to develop an early learning and evaluation center to provide clinical and educational services to children up to 6 years old. The university will house the facility in the on-campus South Oxford Center. The project will include upgrades to common areas and building infrastructure. Ole Miss will use $12 million to develop a master plan for the art, theatre and film departments and build additional performance spaces. The university will build a scene shop, rehearsal area, recording studio and ensemble space. The remaining $9 million will go toward renovating an administrative building called Vardaman Hall. The university will install an elevator to improve building accessibility. In addition, the university will renovate the building to correct envelope issues, install an energy-efficient utility system and update the structure to comply with modern building code and ADA standards. _________________________ Letters of qualifications will be received by the University from design firms interested in providing design services for the project. The selected design firm will work with representatives of the University including the Department of Facilities Planning, and others as may be determined. The selected firm must have an established record of expertise in university based athletic facility design, a familiarity with the size and scope of the project, and a demonstrated ability to respond to an aggressive schedule. Interested firms may suggest other sub-consultants with a record of similar experience; however, the intended contract will be a single contract for complete design and construction documents between the University and the selected design firm. Please direct questions to: Department of Facilities Planning 700 Hathorn Road The University of Mississippi University, MS 38677 The method of Contractor Selection has not been Determined at this time.