The area on Central Campus near Alexander and Turlington Residence Halls has been the site of major construction work since summer 2005, and with new projects being added all the time, the situation is only getting worse for some students.
Those on their way to class last week found construction crews had fenced off the area in front of the Tunnel Inn C-Store, forcing students to take detours through an elevated flowerbed or around the Bookstore to pass through the area to reach the Reynolds Tunnel.
Also, last week saw the installation of a chain-link fence surrounding the field between the two residence halls, a popular destination for students looking to relax or play sports.
During Spring Break, work began to take place inside the fence as well.
According to Ken Butler, assistant director of construction management, the green space is now home to a staging area for construction crews preparing to renovate the two residence halls, which rank among the oldest on Central Campus. Butler said the fence should remain in place through the summer.
While the construction in front of the Tunnel Inn C-Store has since been removed, the remaining construction in the area still leaves questions in the minds of some students.
The inconveniences facing students due to the construction cover a wide variety of issues, the most obvious one being the need to get to class on time.
“I first saw the construction when I was hurrying to class, but I couldn’t get through it, so I had to go around the bookstore,” Eri Fuwa, a Japanese exchange student in art and design, said.
The projects both lie a short distance from the Free Expression Tunnel, which has been undergoing construction since June, and was originally scheduled to be completed sometime this month.
The tunnel, which serves as a connector between Central Campus and North Campus, is undergoing a renovation project that will end up costing more than $2 million. The construction will convert the existing tunnel entrances into a series of steps and ramps, which are designed to make the tunnel more universally accessible.
But not all students see the construction as a major inconvenience.
“From my perspective, the construction is not very inconvenient. I walk down the sidewalks anyway,” Hoang Nguyen, a junior in chemistry, said, referring to the sidewalks that run outside the construction area.
Other things aside from the logistical issues of trying to get to class on time affect students living in the area.
Many Alexander residents also expressed their dislike for the hours chosen by the construction workers.
“The construction work is really inconvenient because it is really loud early in the morning,” Erin Bergstrom, a junior in business management and a resident of Alexander Hall, said.
Turlington and Alexander first opened their doors to students in 1940, and last underwent renovations in 1990. The project is scheduled to be completed in October for Alexander and in March 2007 for Turlington.
