Dorm Renovation Enhances Safety

Dorm Renovation

When it came time to renovate 40 resident bathrooms at Yocum Hall, University of Arkansas administrators put cleanliness and safety at the top of the priority list. Inpro’s Endurant shower surrounds met and exceeded the project goals.

Yocum Hall, which opened in 1963, is a 10-story coed residence hall at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with a capacity of 527 students. The hall is home to the Business Living/Learning Community for students interested in pursuing a business-related field of study.

The university began a five-year, $7.5 million renovation in the summer of 2012 with mechanical upgrades. Renovations also include the replacement of plumbing systems and the installation of energy recovery units that help with the circulation of air in all the rooms.

The project included extensive renovation of 40 resident bathrooms. The dorm hadn’t been significantly updated since its original construction so the bathrooms had large amounts of tile and grout.

The newly renovated bathrooms feature nonporous and easy-to-maintain Endurant shower surrounds, receptors and toilet partitions, manufactured from BioPrism Solid Surface. Additionally, BioPrism was used as wall cladding throughout the bathrooms in areas outside of the showers.

Through the use of BioPrism, the university was able to ensure that the updated bathroom surfaces would stay germ-free while also adding a stylish flair to the new space. Creating a new space that helped prevent slip-and-fall accidents along with mildew and bacteria growth was an important goal. Inpro’s products gave them both benefits, while also being an economical choice.

Students love the new look of the updated restrooms, and also appreciate the added safety factor. Yocum Hall continues to serve students as their home while away from home, providing a great environment for studying, socializing and growing.

www.inprocorp.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Minnesota District Starts Construction on Early Childhood Learning Center

    Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools in Sauk Rapids, Minn., recently announced that construction has begun on a new early childhood learning center and a new outdoor activities complex, according to a news release.