Clovia - University of Minnesota

P icking up where we left off with the fall Clippings, the Building the Best Better Project continues to move ahead. Pennington & Company conducted a feasibility study from March to August 2023 to evaluate alumnae interest in and potential support for a house project. Stephanie Treanor, our Pennington representative, shared the results of the study at our Founders' Day gathering in October and fielded many questions. Clovia has engaged Pennington and Company to support us in determining next steps. Our architect, Tim Fuller, has held regular planning meetings with the committee, working with us to produce a progressive series of designs, leading to an exciting new- house schematic plan in early December. This completed the first-phase contract with Tim. The committee recommended that Clovia continue to contract with Tim for the next design phase, which the board approved. He is currently working on floor plans and elevations, draft schedules, and specifications. In essence, this design phase will prepare us for executing construction documents. We also hope to receive an initial estimated project cost. You may have heard chatter last fall around a lingering question: "Will we level the current house and build anew? Or will we renovate?" To answer that, we requested Tim coordinate a structural assessment of the chapter house. The results of the study were neutral, meaning there were no obvious structural issues found; however, the committee still recommends an entirely new build for our chapter house. Our work-to-date with Tim continues to support this. Our reason for a new build follows one of Clovia's seven purposes: "to provide happy, adequate, and economical living" for our actives. The definition of these conditions has changed since the house purchase in 1989: how students attend classes, study, and live daily has changed dramatically. Some classes are online and others in the classroom. Some classes require independent study and others are group projects. Medical appointments and job interviews are frequently done online and require the utmost privacy. Will a remodeled house be safe and accessible? Yes, by law it must, but it would not allow us to meet the necessities of today's world nor allow us the flexibility to adapt to one that is ever-changing. This is why the committee recommends a new building but is prepared to pivot away from that to a renovation—if and only if a new build becomes cost-prohibitive. We hope our sisters will support "Building new is the right thing to do." BBBP committee membership has changed since it first was commissioned in 2022. We thank Karen Annexstad Humphrey '72 and Maureen Meier '75 for their contributions. Present members are Liz Rabby Knutson '14 [lknuts8@gmail.com or (515) 518-7340], Randy Knutson, Johanna Knorr '17, Robin Tidd '21, Linda Grieme '77 [lindagrieme85@gmail.com or (612) 849-1395], Julie Bosch Drechsler '91 [juliedrechsler1968@gmail. com or (612) 961-7933], and Lauren Servick '15 [servi031@umn.edu or (507) 251-1432]. Questions are welcome! Contact a committee member with the info listed by their name above. Building the Best Better PROJECT UPDATE In late September, the actives reported there were temp-control problems and hardly any water flow in the second-floor east bathroom shower. Our handyman found the piping to the shower was inaccessible below the tub; he had to remove the tub and shower-surround to get at the pipes to resolve the problem, then install a new shower base, surround, and doors. At the same time, he was able to scavenge some of the original blue tile from behind the old shower-surround to patch around the bathroom entry door and vanity where non-original, non-matching replacement tile had been put in; thus, he improved the looks of the bathroom. He also installed new flooring, faucet, and light fixtures. This work was done over winter break. Property Maintenance with Linda Grieme '77 Board Report The Founders' Day birthday gift to the chapter house was a series of updates to the guest powder room. These included a new faucet and light (installed by Jim Blakely, husband of Ann Christenson '75), flooring, repainting, cabinet pulls, and accessories. The updates were spearheaded by Maureen Meier '75, who also did the painting and revarnished the vanity cabinet (thank you, Maureen!). Most of this work was also done over winter break. Also during winter break, a few updates were done in the second-floor Jack-and- Jill (flooring, light fixture) and President's bathrooms (faucets, light fixture). My thanks to Ella Thome (fall semester Active House Maintenance) for her assistance. Updates in second-floor east Bathroom Updates in GUest powder room miscellaneoUs

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