Dordt Bustles with Summer Construction

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is buzzing with equipment this summer as several major construction and renovation projects take shape.

“This is probably the most intense period of construction at Dordt in recent history,” said Howard Wilson, vice president for operations. “We are thankful for our many construction and design partners who are working very hard to make these great places for Dordt students to learn and live.”

On Highway 75, at Dordt’s Agriculture Stewardship Center, the trusses and siding are going up on the new monoslope livestock building, slated to house 50 beef cattle and 75 dairy heifers this fall. The space will provide agriculture majors a new lab and opportunities for additional hands-on experiences.

Across the street from the university, the American State Bank Sports Complex, an indoor turf facility, has had the groundwork completed by Boer and Sons, and metal framing for the headhouse is going up while piers are being placed for the dome foundation. The project is scheduled to be complete in late fall and in use by early 2023. The facility will provide a place for local community and recreation leagues to enjoy, opportunities for regional athletic tournaments, and space for Dordt’s softball, soccer, baseball, and football teams to train and play.

On Dordt’s main campus, a new parking lot is taking shape behind the Kuyper and Southview Apartments, near the soccer field. This will provide a new parking space for students who previously used the All Seasons Center and B.J. Haan parking lots.

Dordt is also renovating the basement of Covenant Hall, the women’s dorm on the east end of campus, providing dorm rooms for 16 students, adding egress windows, and supplying a student lounge space. Record enrollment in the 2021-22 academic year prompted the university to create this additional space for on-campus residents.

In addition, Dordt is renovating the former KDCR radio building into office spaces for the football program. The building will house coaches and serve to welcome numerous recruits who visit throughout the year.

The Recreation Center is being renovated as well, with upgrades including a new track surface, new divider curtains, resurfacing of existing playing surfaces, new paint, a new check-in desk, branding, and LED lighting throughout the space.

A new Academic Enrichment Center is being built in part of the lower level of the library to provide office space, tutoring spaces, and collaborative spaces to enhance student learning. This updated area will provide academic support for students in all major courses of study.

In the B.J. Haan Auditorium, Dordt’s Casavant organ is being renovated too, with new pipes being installed. Dordt has seen increased support of the church music and organ program, with 16 students taking organ lessons in spring 2022.

“It is exciting to walk around Dordt’s campus and see the updates being made in preparation for the start of the 2022-23 academic year,” said Erik Hoekstra, president of the university. “The construction projects taking place this summer will help us to continue to live out our mission, as these improvements will allow students to gain the skills they need to ultimately ‘work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal.’”

The projects are supported by Dordt’s Planting for the Future capital campaign, the largest in the institution’s history, with a goal of raising $90 million. The campaign supports building and renovation projects in addition to faculty research, student scholarships, and the university’s endowment.