Central Connecticut State University, (CCSU), Willard & DiLoretto Hall

Central Connecticut State University, (CCSU), Willard & DiLoretto Hall went through an amazing transformation in 2018. The $62 million project involved gutting and renovating two, 50-year-old adjacent buildings and adding a 30,000 square foot addition connecting the two buildings on all four floors. The new section added some 20 classrooms and several offices while creating an atrium for use as common space. The building will now provide a “one-stop shop” for student services, including registration, financial aid, ID badges, and Student Wellness Services.

This CCSU renovation project provided an opportunity to directly impact students with a successful transition to their collegiate experience and beyond. The marriage of the Willard & DiLoretto buildings, however, did not come without some installation challenges. Following multiple walk-throughs with the team, which included the Flooring Contractor, the GC, the Architect, and the Ardex vendor partner, it was clear that issues existed with the concrete slabs not meeting ASTM 710 standards. After a detailed assessment, recommendations were made as to the best approach. Since this was a 1959 building with some structural concerns, Ardex - LT-65 System, a lightweight, Portland cement-based, high-strength, fast-setting, pre-leveling system for concrete, was chosen for use. In addition, the moisture in the concrete in the basement areas was found to be unacceptable and was managed with Ardex MC Rapid/Ardex V1200 & primer. Although these issues threatened to impact the project completion date, Higgins, an Ardex choice flooring contractor, was able to provide enough quality labor to successfully install all flooring in the spaces on schedule.

Thinking about making upgrades to your educational institution, let the M.F Higgins team teach you about all the differences flooring can make in an educational environment. Our team is dedicated to providing you the best flooring design, installation and care around. Contact us to talk to one of our educational institution flooring specialists about your project.