by Leslie Rasimas
Staff Writer
The Plemmons Student Union Solarium construction will officially
end by April, approximately 18 months behind schedule.
Director of Design and Construction Dr. Clyde D. Robbins said the
solarium was a multi-prime project, meaning there were four independent
contractors on the job.
“One of the contractors went bankrupt, so we had lots of problems
coordinating the work, and replacing the bankrupt company with a
new company,” Robbins said.
The University Bookstore addition, which was scheduled for completion
one year ago, should be finished by June, he said.
“Once the new bookstore is finished, it will take about six
to nine months to renovate the existing book store,” Robbins
said.
According to the most recent Design and Construction project status
report, the University Bookstore, after all renovations are complete,
will be a “40,000 square-foot facility for the 21st century.”
“Both the bookstore and solarium are excellent projects, and
will add much to the campus. We’ve just had some difficulties
finishing them,” he said.
Robbins said the Central Library Complex, with a $47 million budget,
will be completed in 2005. A 320- space parking deck will follow
as part of the project sequence in 2006. The parking deck will be
built where Whitener Hall is presently located.
“We can’t build the parking deck until we build the
new library, move the people from Whitener Hall to Belk Library
and then tear down Whitener and build the parking deck,” Robbins
said.
Allison Kemp-Sullivan, civil engineer and project manager, said
some projects have been put on hold due to weather.
“We’re building six new tennis courts above the [Red
Lackey] baseball field. We’ve stopped building right now because
of bad weather, but they should be finished within 60 days once
we begin again,” she said.
Kemp-Sullivan said discus and shot put areas will accompany the
new tennis courts.
New soccer fields are under construction at State Farm Fields, but
bad weather has caused more delays, Kemp-Sullivan said.
Residence halls will have a musical chairs feeling for the next
few years while ventilation, sprinklers, fire alarms, painting and
furniture are replaced and updated, Robbins said.
Doughton Residence Hall is scheduled for completion no later than
April. At the end of the semester, White Residence Hall will be
emptied and renovated, followed by Lovill Residence Hall, Robbins
said.
Project Manager W. Kelley Ingram said there is an expansion of the
Annas Student Support Building, which includes the University Post
Office and Counseling and Psychological Services Center.
Ingram said 2,500 post office boxes are being added to the University
Post Office, and additional rooms will be built for counseling.
Phase III of the Turchin Center for Visual Arts is on budget and
schedule, and has a tentative completion date of late this year,
Ingram said. Phase III includes building additional gallery space,
support areas and a large classroom.
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