Officials report that excavation is nearly complete and construction will soon be underway on the new math and statistics building located in the Riddick Lot off Boney Drive.

Facility Construction Engineer Glenn Ervin is the project manager for the construction phase of operations and said all operations are proceeding on schedule and the new sewer lines will soon be in place.

“It’s going well and we are nearly complete with our underground utilities,” Ervin said.

Ervin said while it may take some time before building construction can commence, he has experienced no major problems and work is progressing according to schedule.

“We are still a ways away from seeing some steel erection go up, but we are seeing good progress,” Ervin said.

Sammy Sams is the project manager for the design phase of operations and said the building will not be complete for at least a year.

“The entire building will probably be complete in the Fall of 2008,” Sams said.

Sams said he expected to experience problems caused by the geographic layout of the land, but things have gone smoothly thus far.

“We anticipated more [problems] because it’s a low lying area, but we are currently on schedule with no major problems,” Sams said.

Ervin agreed that the project has progressed more effortlessly than expected. He described initial anxieties that the plot had been poorly excavated before construction of Riddick Stadium, which previously occupied the land.

“We were concerned with what would be underground the old stadium,” Ervin said. “We didn’t know if we would find uncleared tree stumps, or even old abandoned cars.”

Ervin said thus far he has experienced no such problems and everything at the site has been manageable.

“Its been a fairly clean sight; there is moisture, which can be dealt with,” Ervin said. “There are no major problems right now.”

Ervin said the final drawings for the building will be completed at the end of the month for resubmission to the department of insurance.

“We can’t start any work until we get final approval from the department of insurance,” Ervin said. “The only major anticipated hurdle is having cost estimates exceed the budget.”

Bryan Arthur, a junior in mathematics, said his current math classes have been uncomfortable and he is looking forward to the completion of the new building.

“The classes I’ve had in Harrelson have been cramped,” Arthur said. “That building isn’t well designed.”

Arthur said that the classrooms in Harrelson have also failed to meet the technological needs of his math classes.

“Higher level classes are using math labs and a lot of Harrelson classrooms don’t have projectors,” Arthur said. “A new building would be good for the math department.”