As new freshman residence hall Potomac House opened its doors last week, GW continues work on several major construction projects.

One main project is the remodeling of Monroe Hall and the Hall of Government on G Street between 21st and 22nd streets. The $23 million project, which began in May 2006, is expected to be completed prior to the fall semester of 2007, according to Nancy Haaga, director of Auxiliary and Institutional Services.

The construction will completely remodel the interior of the building. Haaga said 90 percent of the interior of the building was demolished to allow for better use of space for the building that serves the Economics, Mathematics, Political Science and Speech and Hearing Science Departments.

Internal improvements include installation of new plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems, the addition of two new elevators and upgraded wall and floor finishes. The exterior of the building will see new replacement windows installed, and new landscaping and sidewalks added.

The building was taken out of service in February 2006 and classes usually housed in Monroe and Hall of Government were moved to the new business school building Duqu?s Hall and Funger Hall in preparation for this construction, Haaga said.

Another ongoing construction project is the renovatation of Thurston Hall’s exterior. One phase of the project is complete, but scaffolding and fencing remained around the largest freshman residence hall during move-in day Saturday.

New steel support angles and re-appointed masonry on both its F Street and 19th Street fa?ades was completed during the most recent phase of construction. The replacement and re-appointing work took place throughout the summer and terminated prior to move-in day, said Louis Katz, executive vice president and treasurer of the University.

“Future phases of the renovation project will include similar work on the (building’s) other exterior fa?ades and within the courtyard, as well as rebuilding of the exterior window bays and phased replacement of windows,” said Katz in a prepared statement, adding that the multi-year project is scheduled to continue through 2008.

Katz said the renovations are not in response to Thurston Hall’s appearance after a spring 2005 fire that severely injured one student.

Katz added that the scaffolding, work area and protective fencing that remain from this summer’s replacement and re-appointing work is scheduled to come down sometime in September.