In addition to carrrying out regular work duties, some Saint Louis University employees may soon take up other job requirements: packing and moving.
In his February, monthly message, University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., announced that SLU is currently planning for several departments to relocate to the Compton Heights building at Grand Boulevard and Interstate 44. The University purchased the property in January from Tenet, which owns many hospitals in the St. Louis area, including Saint Louis University Hospital.
The following departments are scheduled to relocate: the School of Public Health, the Employee Assistance Program, Business and Finance staff housed in Fitzgerald Hall, Human Resources staff that are located in Fitzgerald Hall and the McDonnell Building, and the Facilites’ Services fulfillment center.
Biondi noted in the message that those departments are scheduled to move during the summer months. He also wrote that “we are currently negotiating to lease part of the Compton Heights building to a hotel chain to provide hotel services for patients and their families, alumni, parents and visitors to SLU including visiting athletic teams.” Biondi also stated that conference facilities will be constructed in the building.
Rob Altholz, vice president of Business and Finance, noted that the “general intention” is for the first and second floors of Fitzgerald Hall to become classroom space. That is the main reason for Business and Finance to relocate.
He stated that he has heard both positive and negative reaction to the move. “The pros include easy access from where [staff] will be parking their cars to the building and easy access to Interstate 44,” said Altholz. “The building will include some food service and a small workout area with showers that staff can take advantage of.”
Altholz also stated that some employees have said that they would prefer to remain on the Frost campus. But, he added, “I think, on balance, particularly after some time elapses, that staff and those they serve, will be quite pleased with the new location.”
Dr. Richard Kurz, dean of the School of Public Health, said that his department would benefit from the move. “The school is growing,” said Kurz. “We’re adding more students, and our research programs are growing.”
The school of public health is currently located in O’Donnell Hall and at 321 N. Spring. While the separate locations haven’t been that much of a problem, getting those offices under one roof is more convenient, he said.
“We will need space in the next couple of years,” Kurz said. “We want to bring those facilities back to the same location.”
Kurz noted that his department did not ask to be moved. He just informed Provost Sandra Johnson, to whom he reports, that his school needed space.
“I report to the provost, and I’ve been talking to the provost about the needs of our school,” Kurz said. “We’re trying to work it out so it’s an advantage to the school to get the space we need.”
Kurz said that revamping O’Donnell Hall to house the entire School of Public Health would take “a good deal of renovation.”
Kathy Hagedorn, vice president of human resources, is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“My staff are currently in four different locations, so this may be an opportunity to consolidate and improve our functions,” stated Hagedorn. “However, packing files and boxes, and adjusting to a new environment will always be a bit of a hassle. So, we’ll have to wait and see, and look forward to the opportunities the move will present.”
Neither Hagedorn nor Kurz said that they have seen floor plans for the move and do not know exactly when the move will occur.
Alease Dailes, a human-resources assistant, said, “Everyone’s excited about it. It’s part of the process. Nobody has a problem with it.”
She noted that she’ll miss the students always being around.
