Three major construction projects are underway this quarter, bringing noise, roadblocks and machinery all over campus.
The new Baker University Center, an animal-holding addition to the Life Science Center on West Green and a new residence hall on South Green are all progressing well in construction, said John Kotowski, associate vice president of University Planning and Implementation.
The center, with a $60 million budget, is slated for completion this October; however, it will take until January 2007 to finish furnishing and open the center for use, he said.
Sophomore Katie Sasileo said she was upset to see many trees cut down for the sake of construction.
About 30 trees were cut down around the center and many large trees along South Green Drive. OU's planning department will plant about 150 new trees around the center and will also replant around South Green, Kotowski said.
We're hoping that the (center) and the new residence hall will be there 50 to 100 years and that these new trees we'll plant will grow and mature with the buildings
he said.
It seems random that OU is building another residence hall when there are room vacancies on South Green, and existing halls are older and need refurbished, Sasileo said.
The $24 million residence hall, slated to open in Fall 2007, will contain 350 beds ' set up suite-style ' and will provide an opportunity to house displaced students when renovations are underway, Kotowski said.
Our oldest green is the East Green so our goal is to continue renovating those older buildings Kotowski said. We'll eventually get to the South Green.
Nicola Taljaard, a senior resident assistant in Hoover House, lives close to the construction site and said she is concerned about potential noise distractions during finals week
Our plan is to do everything we can to minimize the impact on students and work with (contractors) on scheduling noisy activities later in the day
Kotowski said. However
we are under contract; we are not going to tell (contractors) they can't work.
Both Sasileo and Taljaard said they found blocked roads on South Green Drive and Park Place to be a hassle and are concerned it will affect students moving home for the summer after finals.
The way (the roads are) set up now is probably how it is going to stay for a while
Kotowski said, adding that strategies for re-routing will be determined closer to the end of the quarter.
South Green Drive will be pushed closer to the OU Golf Course, North McKinley Avenue will be blocked off at some parts and Race Street will be extended, he said.
Construction of the $1.3 million animal-holding addition, with a completion goal of August, will hopefully be kept inside during certain hours of finals week, Kotowski said.
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