The newly donated standing deck, which sits in left field at the USI baseball field, faces modifications after being declared not handicap accessible.

The deck, which was donated by the Evansville West Side Nut Club and built in the spring, was a community project for the group, said USI Athletic Director Jon Mark Hall.

“The (Nut Club) helped design it and worked with university officials about how it would look and be built,” he said. “They came out on some weekends and built it. And once we get it modified and up to speed on code, we’re really looking forward to using it.”

Bryan Morrison,  manager of environmental health and safety, said to meet regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, graspable handrails will need to be installed, as well as places for wheelchairs.

“There’s nothing wrong with the structural integrity of the deck, though,” Morrision said.  “But anytime you build a new structure, it has to be brought up to current codes.”

He said the issue was brought to attention after a fire and building code inspection, which indicated the handrails were not graspable. In other words, they weren’t round or something that could be held onto.

Officials are also looking into making an adjustment to the wall, or making an elevation change, so people sitting in the handicapped area can see over the field he said.

Hall said he hopes the modifications can be completed before the regular baseball season begins against Grand Valley State University Feb. 21, 2014.

“We’re hoping to get it modified and ready to go and have it done by the start of this spring,” he said. “We want to stay on top of it, especially before the weather gets bad.”