Revisiting 2021 Alumni Work Parties

It was shortly before Memorial Day when we last checked-in on the 2021 Alumni Work Parties. At the time, we were trying to drum up excitement for a handful of room renovations and work being done to the house common areas. Since then, teams of alumni from the 1970s to the 2010s have returned to Happy Valley at least once a month to work alongside undergrads and mentor them with home maintenance and brotherhood development.

There is still plenty more work to be done. But as the Fall 2021 semester begins, let’s have a look at what has been accomplished so far!

The priority for the summer was the 2nd floor bathroom. The main area has been completely refreshed, with brand-new laminate flooring, base trim, and fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) “Wetwall” product. Corner joints throughout the bathroom have been re-caulked, and the toilet flanges and assorted hardware have been swapped-out. A new radiator was installed but is not shown here. Also absent from this picture are the HDPE enclosure partitions, which were back-ordered (due to COVID-19) but will be installed during the semester.

Room 25 was the pilot for a “white-washed” residential room. During the course of the summer, we removed the deteriorated linoleum flooring to access the concrete subfloor below. This cleared the way for new flooring: adhesive-backed carpet squares are shown here, but future rooms might utilize laminate flooring or painted concrete. Newly-painted walls — starting with a covering layer of white — give the room a refreshed and unique look. Also shown in the picture: new base trim, new baseboard heater, and one of the new air-conditioning units furnished to all residents this semester.

Just like Room 25, Room 26 showcases a “whitewashed” approach for residential rooms. This one is not currently contracted out to a resident, but the fresh coat of paint on the walls and newly-replaced electrical outlets have made this into an inviting dormitory space. Unlike in Room 25, we did not prioritize removing the linoleum floor or replacing the base trim or baseboard heater.

All construction has completed successfully in the Room 28 “Group Study Area.” This is intended to supplement the existing Study Room (room 27) with amenities to make it a collaborative space. We will arrange for new furniture to arrive during the Fall semester or during winter break. Meanwhile, the new lighting fixtures, ceiling fan, fresh wall paint, and sealed concrete floor (not shown; see the May 2021 article) make this room shine.

There are plenty of additional smaller construction and housekeeping tasks that have been completed during the past few months. The goal is to improve the quality-of-life for residents in the house, and to inspire future contributions. Please reach out to us (alumni.officers@psutriangle.org) if you would like more information about completed or upcoming projects!