When students return to the Life Ready Center in August, they will notice an immediate change to at least one of the hallways — new carpeting.

Lawton Public Schools crews have spent part of the summer removing the tile flooring in the southeast hallway by the culinary class and heading north before looping back to the south. The tile flooring is being replaced with gray and black LVT (luxury vinyl tile), which the district has used at other sites. LVT is plastic carpeting that does not require shampooing.

Jack Hanna, executive director of operations, said the carpet will help reduce the noise level in the building.

“The carpet will have some cushion to it, it has a little bit of absorption,” Hanna said, making it easier on students.

“It will give the building more warmth than a utilitarian feel,” said Pryce Beauchamp, owner representative with LPS.

Beauchamp said the flooring, which has been there since 1993, will be removed down to the concrete.

“The product has lasted past its life expectancy,” Hanna said of the tile flooring.

Another benefit to the carpeting is maintenance, which will be vacuumed rather than buffed, Hanna said.

“For 33 years, they have been mopping and sweeping 19,000 square feet of corridor space every day,” Hanna said.

Keeping the carpet looking new also will be easier since squares that get stained will be easy to replace, Beauchamp said. They will just be popped up and a new one put down.

Eventually, all the corridors will be carpeted; the cafeteria and gallery area will remain tile.