Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, James Grigg, shares the details on current campus projects, including the Phelps Hall roof, Southwest Gateway and science building renovations.
By Evi Houston
News Editor
Take a quick walk around campus, and you will see construction happening almost everywhere you go, and students want to know what this construction will lead to.
Associate Vice President of Facilities Management, James Grigg, provided The Johnsonian with an inside look into the numerous projects currently taking place on campus. Many of these “behind the scenes” initiatives help to keep the university running smoothly and increase its physical longevity.
Grigg initially clarified that facilities tries its best to work around the student schedule, although some things get in the way.
“We try not to plan for projects to occur during the school year based on the level of disruption. However, some projects you just cannot cram into summer,” Grigg said. =
Time constraints, unexpected delays and supply chain issues have all played a role in the university’s busy schedule. That being said, facilities does “try and limit the impact to the student body as much as possible by planning and by pre-ordering material,” Grigg said.
Phelps Hall Roof
The Phelps Hall roof is currently being replaced to become a “standing steam metal roof,” a project Grigg expects to be completed in the next month. This project will remedy the multiple leaks in the building and provide a more permanent solution, as it lasts anywhere from 50 to 75 years.
Kaela Branham, a junior Special Education student living on the third floor of Phelps Hall, is constantly aware of the construction taking place at Winthrop.
“I’ve woken up almost seven days out of the week to banging on my ceiling at around six in the morning,” Branham said.
Branham shared about an incident recently where the ceiling cracked in a nearby dorm room due to construction.
“We’re worried that someone will fall through the roof one day,” Branham said.
Along with this, transportation and parking for Phelps Hall has been affected. “I can’t park in the front of the building and when I come back from my internship in the morning, the road is blocked off by a crane,” Branham said.
Byrnes Steam Line
Another project largely impacting students’ lives is facilities’ replacement of the steam line in front of Byrnes Auditorium. A newly finished construction project, Byrnes looks quite similar to how it did a year ago with a large metal fence blocking walkways and roadways and an excavation into the sidewalk directly in front of the building.
Grigg explained facilities are installing a brand new stream system which links the heat and hot water source (originally coming from the boiler plant) from the Byrnes Auditorium to Joynes Hall, Phelps Hall, and finally Lee Wicker Hall.
Grigg understands that the project has created many inconveniences.
“I really wanted to get that done this summer. The pipe was literally supposed to arrive at the start of July, and we would have had it in the ground before move-in.”
Unfortunately, the pipe’s arrival was delayed, so facilities have been working around student movement and activity this fall.
Ideally, the steam pipe will be connected to the existing system over winter break so that students do not lose access to hot water and heat in residence halls.
Joynes Hall Renovation
Joynes Hall, previously home to Winthrop Admissions and the Center for Student Wellness, has been undergoing extensive internal renovations. The university is specifically “making some new space for admissions, renovating the bathrooms, meeting space and lobby on the first floor […] and doing some mechanical system renovations in the building,” Grigg said.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-January 2026. Admissions offices and events will be relocated soon after this, with Student Wellness (currently located in Roddey Hall) to follow in the summer of 2026 so that student needs are not disrupted.
“Admissions is such an important part of the campus and making sure Winthrop rebounds, so making sure they have the right home has been an important part of this project,” Grigg said.
Sims and Dalton Renovations
Renovations of the Sims Science Building and Dalton Hall are a major initiative this semester, drawing from $9 million in funding from the state. Two large chemistry labs and the lobbies of both buildings have been gutted to be completely redone.
The labs will receive new plumbing, counters, and fume hoods. Lobbies are being redesigned with inviting furniture and spaces for students to study and talk.
Along with this, Grigg said, “We’ve done some mechanical systems based on the age of the building and condition of some of the equipment […] we’ve done a fair amount of work behind the scenes.” This includes emergency generators (which would save lab work in freezers during a power outage) and an entirely new electronic air system.
The science building lobbies should be open mid-November, with the rest of the project completed around Christmas.
Annabel Chevallard, a Graduate Assistant (GA) getting her Masters in Human Nutrition at Winthrop, works and studies on the third floor of Dalton Hall.
“It [construction] does impact my work,” she said. ]
In the midst of our interview, a worker began drilling in the classroom across from Chevallard’s office, distracting us both. This seems to be the new normal in Dalton Hall.
Chevallard expressed that she and her fellow GA have had to move offices and classrooms depending on where projects were taking place.
The GA was thankful that her department’s building was getting some attention.
“I’m glad they are getting stuff done. This is definitely something that has needed to happen,” Chevallard said. She hopes that Dalton Hall will be able to fix their heating and air conditioning so that temperatures are more comfortable and stable.
For now, students and faculty in the science buildings will have to work around university projects.
“It’s just been really hot or cold some days, so we’re trying to adjust to that,” Chevallard said.
Southwest Gateway
To students who frequently walk near Johnson Hall, CampusWalk apartments and The Nest, the Southwest Gateway project will sound familiar. This added walkway and entrance to the university will help to connect campus to The Nest, The Thread, and the Power House and provide a safer and more accessible way for students to walk across the railroad tracks.
The gateway is a part of a larger “Storyline” project which connects the city of Rock Hill with Winthrop campus using a walking path with “story items” along it. With the Southwest Gateway, the university has completed their portion of the project and is ahead of schedule, with more developments to come on behalf of the city.
Overall, the Southwest Gateway intends to invite more visitors to campus and increase connectivity with the community, a primary goal of the Campus Master Plan. It will ideally be finished in the next week.
Future Projects
James Grigg additionally shared details on a plethora of projects currently in the planning stage with The Johnsonian. This includes library renovations, new residence halls and the relocation of various buildings. Keep an eye out for this information in the upcoming/a future issue.
