For the first time in 35 years, Ritenour Health Center is undergoing construction, thanks to the Class of '93.

Last year's senior class gave University Health Services the opportunity to work with the insides of a different kind of patient -- the building itself. The gift of $103,000 is being used for the development of a new urgent care facility. The facility will be named for Valerie Christein, a student who was killed by a falling tree limb last year.

"These developments have been in the works for a few years," said Dr. Margaret Spear, director of health services. The construction includes the urgent care center, as well as new office space and patient examination rooms. Construction should be finished by April.

David Lindstrom, assistant director of health services, said the reorganization of health services on the ground floor of Ritenour has as much to do with health care trends as it does with the helpful windfall of the class gift. He estimated construction costs this year will be about $300,000.

Some of the space is being converted from overnight bed space to more examination rooms. Last year, there were more than 85,000 visits to health services, most of which were for outpatient care, said Lindstrom. "Suffice it to say 99.9 percent of those were outpatient visits," he said.

Lindstrom said reworking the structure of the outpatient traffic in the building may lead to some confusion. The bulk of incoming patients should begin to enter the building through the front doors facing Pollock Road instead of the entrance facing Boucke Building.

The waiting room in the west wing of Ritenour is still under construction, with ceiling beams and wiring exposed. Students waited amid the intermittent buzzing of power tools yesterday while the renovations continued.

"I'm sure it's much more of a hassle for the people who work here than for us visitors," said Chad Roper (graduate-environmental pollution control).

Roper said the building didn't look any different yet, but added, "I think when it's done, it'll be a lot nicer looking."

Lindstrom said the Office of Physical Plant has been extremely cooperative with health services, occasionally suspending work until after appointment hours to decrease students' exposure to construction.

The consideration of students in the renovation plans includes those with disabilities. Susan Kennedy, associate director of health services, said all new construction will meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lindstrom also said meeting ADA standards is important. "We put people in wheelchairs when they didn't come in on them sometimes," he said.