As classes begin and students criss-cross campus, construction projects once again clog up walking areas and force students to find alternate routes.
Although primary construction on the mall area finished several months ago, the corner formerly occupied by the Telephone and University Post Office building was recently demolished and the system relocated to Academic Building I.
“We finished the demo before the break between Summer 2 and the start of fall,” John McCroskey, Associate Director of the Physical Plant, said. “We still have a few pieces of rubble to haul off, but once we get that moved out of the way we’re going to complete the campus mall construction project”
The final stage of the mall completion will begin in about a week, McCroskey said.
Academic Building V, behind AB4 and the Lee Drain Building, is nearing completion. According to McCroskey, the building is about 80 percent complete.
“We are planning to open the building for classes in January,” McCrosky said. “It’s going to be a push but we’ll get there” McCroskey said.
Over the summer, minor renovations were also completed in the second floor of the Teacher Education Building to create more offices.
For the Fall 2008 semester, another project scheduled to begin is the new Performing Arts Center. Plans are in the finalizing process, and McCrosky said he expects to break on Oct. 2.
Plans are also in place for a new dining hall on the north side of campus.
The existing campus master plan expires this year, opening the way for the new plan, which was will be approved in November, to further modify the campus.
“We’re just now completing the master plan for the next twelve years, to send it to the Board of Regents for approval in November,” McCroskey said. “The master plan will be approved and we’ll probably start programming two or three of those buildings.”