Wingate Update:
Renovating the Student Center in Wingate Hall
November 6, 2023
Beaver Builders
Gavin Lee
Ram Panchal
Richard Lopez
Tamim Uddin
Introduction:
Student centers are the community center of the college, serving students, faculty, staff, alums, and guests. A student activity center might offer various programs, activities, services, and facilities (Wikipedia Contributors, 2023). As a commuter school, the City College of New York does not have a student center. During their free time, students typically go to the library to study or do work, exercise at the gym, or head straight home. CUNY, of which City College of New York is a part, has a reputation for lacking a social scene on campus; a student center could bring students together. Approximately 97% of surveyed students desire a student center (Figure 1a), with 60% indicating they would use it twice per week or more (Figure 1b).
Figure 1a: Pie chart of how many students surveyed want a student center
Figure 1b: Pie chart of how often they would like to use the student center.
Starting college can be a drastic change for students, and it can be overwhelming to adapt to their new life. This can lead to various problems, such as issues with relationships, both romantic and non-romantic, academic stress, and other factors that can make students vulnerable to mental health issues. Additionally, these mental health issues vary in severity from mild anxiety or loneliness to severe clinical depression, and they can hurt academic performance, retention, and graduation rates. Depression and anxiety are associated with higher rates of suicide, substance abuse, and troubled relationships (Ikdip Kaur Brar et al.). To prevent difficulties that can hinder students’ success throughout their college journey from first-year student to graduation, renovating Wingate into a well-equipped student center can be a productive initiative. You may ask, what does it take to create a successful student center?
Action Plan:
To create a successful student center, Wingate Hall should be renovated. The building already has three accessible floors: a gym, a locker room, and a “student” center. These areas can be updated to create a more modern and appealing student atmosphere. Given that CCNY is a flagship school, the North Academic Center (NAC) is the central academic building where students from all majors come and go to attend classes and spend leisure time between classes. Since the Wingate building is located right next to NAC, renovating it as a student center is a good idea, as it will not disrupt students’ activities such as studying or spending time with friends. This renovation plan includes maintaining the original layout of the building but updating it to a modern look and creating a lively atmosphere. Furthermore, the third-floor gym would be equipped with new, modern equipment, the second-floor locker room would receive the same treatment but with a modified entrance method. The first floor would undergo a complete renovation to create a more modern and functional space.
Task 1: Online Shopping
To create a student center that truly feels like one, the purchases should be made online either from the manufacturer or through a retail/online store. This should be done towards the end of November, as this is when “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” occur. These events provide great deals for both in-store and online shopping, particularly for electronic devices.
As there will be a lot of boxes, and Wingate Hall won’t be fully renovated yet, everything will be stored in the NAC building. This is also a good way to promote the new student center. Although it may seem too early to buy things for the student center without any renovation work having begun, it is best to buy early as prices may rise due to inflation.
Task 2: Renovating the 1st Floor of Wingate
Figure 2a: Floor Plan for 1st Floor (Wingate Hall)
The first floor (Figure 2a) of this student center is the core and most essential area. This area will be renovated by relocating the stairs leading to the second floor towards the side of the first floor, which will create more space. Eating will only be allowed in the designated lounge area of the student center. Also, the center will feature televisions and a lounge area in the middle. Tables will be permitted only for eating near the microwaves, vending machines, and water dispensers. On the opposite side, there will be a ping pong/table tennis area and a pool/billiards table. The bathroom will be located next to the stairs leading to the locker room (Figure 2a).
These changes aim to increase student engagement and socialization. Sharing interests and hobbies is a great way to connect with other people and this student center will allow students to do exactly that. This renovated student center will provide a space for students to relax, destress, and socialize with others. Renovations to the first floor are crucial and must occur before renovating the second floor due to safety and efficiency reasons. Additionally, the renovation will take place throughout the fall, winter, spring, and summer terms to ensure that it is completed safely and on time.
Task 3: Renovating the 2nd Floor of Wingate
Figure 2b: Floor Plan for 2nd Floor (Wingate Hall)
After renovating the 1st floor (Figure 2a), the 2nd floor will be renovated as well (Figure 2b). On the 2nd floor is a locker room and these lockers are excessive, the space to walk is tight, and the paint is cracking. The layout of the lockers could change with the size and position of the bathroom. Additionally, the old lockers will be replaced with new lockers in the locker rooms. The urinal on the 2nd floor, is in a weird position because there is a slight elevation increase to reach the urinal while standing on it. It seems like a stool and feels uncomfortable. Also, entering from the main entrance of Wingate could be a lot better since, when entering, the first thing that someone sees is the stairs to the locker rooms. Having separate stairs that later connect to both the male and female lockers is unnecessary, especially if it is for aesthetics. The entrance will be remodeled and the original concept of having a separate entrance (male/female) from the locker to the gym will remain the same. Moreover, this will ensure privacy and would ensure more room for either lockers, bathrooms, or other miscellaneous things.
Task 4: Renovating the 3rd Floor of Wingate
Figure 2c: Floor Plan for 3rd Floor (Wingate Hall)
The 3rd floor (Figure 2c) will be renovated last as the plan is to renovate the gym into a more modern gym with modern equipment. Renovating the gym would increase the number of people willing to go to the student center because of the new equipment. Having modern equipment will also prevent any injuries since they have safety mechanisms compared to the older equipment. The modern equipment will make students feel better about working out in Wingate Hall since the machines are new and clean. The older equipment may also contain many bacteria because of the rust. Students may not want to work out with old and dirty equipment. When the renovation is done, the equipment can be carried through to the 3rd floor. There will be no bathroom on the 3rd floor. Instead, the students will go to the bathroom in the locker rooms.
The diagram below (Figure 3a) shows a Gantt chart that contains red boxes. The Y-axis is the task, while the X-axis shows the days from the start day, and the red box shows the task’s duration in days in the timeline of the X-axis. Figure 3b shows the same graph but with start and end dates in the Gregorian calendar format.
Figure 3a: Gantt Chart
| Task | Start Day | End Date |
| Ordering items for the student center | 11/23/2025 | 11/30/2025 |
| Renovating 1st floor | 12/23/2025 | 8/23/2026 |
| Bringing items that belong to the 1st floor | 8/25/2026 | 9/1/2026 |
| Renovating 2nd floor | 12/25/2026 | 8/23/2027 |
| Bringing items that belong to the 2nd floor | 8/25/2027 | 9/1/2027 |
| Renovating the 3rd floor | 12/23/2027 | 8/23/2028 |
| Bringing items that belong to the 3rd floor | 8/25/2028 | 9/1/2028 |
Figure 3b: Estimated dates of task start and completion based on Gantt Chart.
Cost and Benefits:
In the cost chart (see figure 4), the minimum cost of renovating the whole Wingate from 1st floor to 3rd floor would be an estimate of above 5 million. Each floor would cost about $1.8 million to renovate, however, the cost may be more dependent on other variables that could increase the cost as renovation cost is very broad, and it is hard to tell the specific cost once the process is done.
| Item | How many | Cost For Each | Overall Costs |
| Microwave | 2 | $138.99 | $277.98 |
| Couch | 1 | $1,299.00 | $1,299.00 |
| Table | 3 | $229.99 | $689.97 |
| Board Games | 5 | $20.00 | $100.00 |
| Card Games | 5 | $20.00 | $100.00 |
| Water Dispenser | 2 | $7,876.00 | $15,752.00 |
| TV | 4 | $1,099.99 | $4,399.96 |
| PS5 | 1 | $499.99 | $499.99 |
| Xbox | 1 | $487.99 | $487.99 |
| Vending Machine | 2 | $5,000.00 | $10,000.00 |
| Pool Table | 2 | $11,908.00 | $23,816.00 |
| Ping Pong Table | 2 | $2,799.99 | $5,599.98 |
| Bean Bag Chair | 10 | $229.00 | $2,290.00 |
| Air Conditioner | 16 | $1,200.00 | $19,200.00 |
| Heating | 2 | $7,500.00 | $15,000.00 |
| Bathroom | 6 | $10,000.00 | $60,000.00 |
| Renovation | 1 | $5,335,400.00 | $5,335,400.00 |
| Lockers | 50 | $1,280.00 | $64,000.00 |
| Locker Benches | 20 | $360.00 | $7,200.00 |
| All-In-One Gym Machine | 5 | $5,495.00 | $27,475.00 |
| Adjustable Benches | 5 | $595.00 | $2,975.00 |
| Modern Treadmill | 5 | $2,999.00 | $14,995.00 |
| Modern Bikes | 5 | $899.00 | $4,495.00 |
| Total Cost | $5,616,052.87 |
Figure 4: Total cost for renovation and contents.
The estimated cost for this renovation is justified and beneficial for the student center because the renovation cost would be an estimated $5.3 million. Although it is not specific on the actual price of the renovation, an estimate of 5.3 million would be an acceptable amount since the building size is big. The prices for the miscellaneous items are to help the student center become modern and future-proof. Most of the prices listed are the actual price of the item or an average amount, and some prices are not included since it varies depending on how the student center operates. Such examples are electric, water, gas, and janitor/security.
Experience
Ram Panchal is a first-year mechanical engineering student at The City College of New York. He grew up in Queens where he attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School. At Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, Ram was in the DaVinci Biomedical program and was a board member of the robotics team. His experience as a board member of the robotics team taught him leadership, responsibility, and humility. Patience and adaptability are among his other qualities. Here at City College, he is a member of the students chapter of SSORA (Society of Sounding Rocket Advancement). He is skilled in Microsoft Office applications and is learning CAD/CAM, which he first became familiar with during a summer program at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. In his spare time, he enjoys reading the Qur’an, learning about Islam, and doing calisthenics. In the future, Ram hopes to design and oversee the manufacturing of rockets, planes, and other mechanical systems.
Gavin Lee, a Business Administration and Management sophomore at City College of New York, aspires to be in Human Resources. He grew up in Dyker Heights Brooklyn, NY where he attended Highschool of Telecommunication of Arts and Technology. His experience in Global Product LLC. has taught him how to organize and be detail-oriented. In his free time, he likes to relax and if the weather is good, he would go biking along Shore Road near Owl Heads Park. One day Gavin hopes to be respected and to be known as a caring empathetic person in Human Resources helping people with their work life.
Richard Lopez is a freshman undecided major at City College of New York (CCNY), leaning towards software engineering. He grew up in Brooklyn NY, loves to play football, and enjoys working out. Before coming to CCNY, he was a transfer student from Manhattan College. He was going for his software engineering degree there. He works in a print shop and works with well-creative-minded people, his work taught him to be responsible and be accountable. Additionally, he is very reliable, hard-working, determined, and very resourceful. He is proficient in Microsoft Word, and Excel Sheets. He has some experience in coding. Richard sees himself as a future software engineer, who enjoys helping others and working with others.
Tamim Uddin is a junior-year mechanical engineering student at the City College of New York. He was born and raised in Bangladesh, yet he arrived in New York City at 17 years old with his family. He has kept exploring himself again and again. From a very young age, he has been discovering multiple passions and unique ways of living. Even though he didn’t grow up here, he fell in love with New York City a lot, and he found it so unique. He has a lot of friends here—at least hundreds—due to his multiple personalities, so many types of people feel comfortable around him. And he also enjoys it; it gives him deeper insights into his social world. In his free time, he loves going to the gym, playing sports, and hanging out with close friends. Besides, he walks a lot whenever he gets the chance; it sharpens his thinking capabilities, calms his soul, and it is a sort of antidepressant therapy for him. Sometimes, he is not a bookworm but reads books if there’s anything in them that interests him. However, at such a young age, he was so curious to learn more about creating cars, aircrafts, and even rockets. This curiosity gradually increased and eventually became his prime focus, and he wanted to make a career of it. After all, he has multiple interests, but it took him quite some time to make his career choice decision.
Conclusion
This investment in a student center benefits both the school and the students because having a student center can help students socialize and improve the school environment. This would also improve the school’s reputation of having a good student center, which could promote and boost the admission rate for City College. With the building of this new student center, students could have a new place to hang out, meet new and old friends, and destress and forget about the upcoming exam or an exam they might have failed. There would be new televisions, a new microwave, ping pong tables, a Playstation 5, Xbox series X, and many more students to look forward to!
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