Construction to repair a leaking steam line in front of Ping Center has completed this month after beginning this summer.
Construction outside of Ping Center is now complete after lasting several months, Richard Shultz, interim associate vice president for architecture, design and construction, said.
The project, which has been in the works since October and officially began construction in May, was necessary due to a steam line leak, although facilities were not expecting this long of a construction period.
“We have been working since last October to replace the line with a new line,” Joseph Lalley, senior associate vice president for IT and administrative services, said.
The upgrade to a new steam line was necessary to get hot water to the showers and other plumbing inside Ping, Lalley said.
The steam line issues affected the area of lawn between Ping and Emeriti Park, and also affected the small maintenance building beside Clippinger Hall.
The project has come in under budget, given the lengthy construction time, Shultz said.
The project, which was budgeted for $2 million, was completed for $1.25 million, he said.
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Large fences were placed on the front lawn of Ping during construction, as workers dug into the ground to reach the steam line. The fences often rerouted students as they entered the building, and cut off access to much of the sidewalk outside of Ping.
The reroute was annoying, said some students, but not a major problem.
Ike Pouliot, a senior studying plant biology, said the construction was a little frustrating, but he wasn’t worried about only a minute or two hindrance.
“I remember at first it was kind of frustrating to walk around (the fences) if you had parked your car,” Pouliot said. “But I usually walk here. I’m coming here to work out anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal.”
Now that construction is complete, fences are no longer in place on the lawn, and pathways to the front doors of Ping are easily accessible.
“The construction in front of Ping is completed. The grass is seeded, we're just waiting on some rain,” Shultz said.
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