Beginning last week, a local company began work on the foundation of Cheney Hall at Southeast Missouri State University.

“The bid came in way under budget, and it should only take a few weeks to complete,” said Residence Life Director Kendra Skinner.

According to Skinner in a previous interview, Residence Life is responsible for paying for the foundation repairs, which was incorporated into this year’s Residence Life budget.

The repairs are expected the be completed by the end of October.

After the repairs are completed, the building will need to go through a series of updates before reopening. The updates will depend on what the building’s decided purpose.

“Ultimately, whatever the building is used for we will have to update all electrical and plumbing,” Skinner said.

According to Skinner, if Cheney Hall was to be updated and will return online as a residence hall, these updates to 2016 codes would cost more than $8 million.

If the hall was to be turned into an office space, the update cost would be less.

Skinner created a call to action for university officials to decide what they will want to do with Cheney Hall before the end of the semester so bids, budgets and plans for updates can be created and Cheney Hall can be used once again.

However university officials decide to use Cheney Hall, students and faculty can rest assured the hall will not remain unused for a third academic year.