Fenton's Kaiser Electric Renovating SLU's West Pine Gym

Kaiser Electric crews have begun significant interior renovations to Saint Louis University's Bauman-Eberhardt Center, more familiarly known as the West Pine Gym. The Bauman-Eberhardt Center, along with the recently renovated Des Peres Hall, will serve as the university's new Center for Global Citizenship.

Renovations to the former gym, located at 3672 West Pine Blvd. in St. Louis City, are expected to be completed in May and include installation of a wall dividing the gym and converting half of the space into the Global Student Commons area and the other side into a 1,000-plus-seat, high-tech auditorium. An interior bridge that will connect the east and west sides of the building and a café carved out of the east-side bleachers is also planned in the major renovation project.

Fenton-based Kaiser Electric is installing new lighting throughout the facility, providing dimming and lighting controls, renovating the office area surrounding the old gym, installing a new fire alarm system and fire pump, and providing electrical service for a new HVAC system. McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. of St. Louis is the general contractor on the project.

Originally built in 1928, the West Pine Gym was the location of a 1964 address from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a 1966 concert by The Byrds, among other distinguished lectures and performances. The gym was last used in February 2008 for a women's basketball game. Various departments have used the offices in the facility for the past several years.