(Radio Iowa) – The University of Northern Iowa is ready for the second phase of renovation to the UNI-Dome (U-nee-dome) in Cedar Falls. U-N-I vice president Michael Hager says the focus of this phase includes the first upgrade to the restrooms since the facility was built in 1976. “If you’ve been to either the high school football playoffs, or the Fleetwood Mac concert, the Rolling Stones, or Luke Bryan, pick your music genre, women will frequently complain that there are grossly insufficient restrooms. We’re responding to that,” he says. He says they are putting in 54-hundred square feet of restrooms on the northwest and southwest corners of the Dome.

“We’re adding 44 facilities for women, 18 more for men, three single-use restrooms for families, those sorts of things, and then a lactation room as well, which is common for renovations,” he says. Other areas near the new restrooms are also getting an update. “There are a couple of terraces, affectionately known by some as the ‘party decks,’ but they’re they’re made for group and corporate outings, alumni events to come back,” Hager says. There are some other things like signage and possible sound updates in the eight-point-four million dollar second phase. Work on the first phase is underway with seating being replaced inside the Dome.

The Board of Regents gave approval last week for construction on this phase. Hager says they need to complete the fundraising for the project before construction starts.