URBANA — What might a revamped and renovated Uni High look like? We'll have a chance to find out Thursday.

That's when students, faculty, and staff will get a look at drawings done by the architectural firm the University of Illinois hired to study ways to improve Uni's main building and other school facilities.

"This will be kind of an 'open house' type of thing," Director Steve Epperson said in a schoolwide e-mail today. "Beginning fourth period and going until 4:30, the art room will be open for faculty, staff, and students to stop by and see what the architects have designed. Please keep in mind that you will see some draft ideas and your input is important as the planning moves forward."

Last fall, the U of I hired the Chicago-area architectural firm Wight & Company to do a study to identify the school's facility shortcomings and find ways to address them.

"There are improvements that need to be made," Epperson said at the time. "[But] before the University really digs into any major renovations, they usually do some type of facility study to see what the needs are and try to get a rough idea about what the costs will be."

The U of I Provost's Office approved $72,000 for the study. On Dec. 2 a representative from Wight & Company did a workshop to inform the department heads of their procedures. The following day, engineers came to visit Uni to examine the current systems and facilities.

The architects met with the faculty in early January and solicited additional input from executive teachers. Now they're ready to share their draft ideas, Epperson said.

Once the architects gather the student and faculty input on their designs, their next step will be to revise their designs. According to Epperson, the architects will come back April 8 to present their modified designs at the Spring PFO General Meeting.

"The architects' goal is to have completed the study by the end of the school year," he told the Gargoyle today. "We are a long way from any actual construction. Once we have the plans completed, the advancement office will be looking for financial support. Until there is financial support, actual construction cannot move forward."