Freshman Kari Boyles takes a detour
around the regional chiller construction site near the Miles Annas
Student Services Building. The detour has been in place since
last semester. Once the regional chiller building is completed
a new pathway will be opened pedestrian use.
Inclement weather
has further delayed the completion of the solarium and bookstore
addition construction projects, Director of Design and Construction
Dr. Clyde D. Robbins said Tuesday.
Robbins said the delay has pushed the completion
date for the solarium addition to some time this summer.
“The weather has been too cold to lay masonry,”
Robbins said.
He said the delay means the building has not
been “closed in” so interior work can begin. The windows
should be added to the solarium addition in the next two weeks.
Since
the solarium addition and bookstore projects are “tied together
so closely,” the solarium addition must be completed in order
to finish the first phase of the bookstore project, Robbins said.
“We will not get the bookstore and solarium back on schedule,”
Robbins said. “The way the winter is going, we are going to
see more delays.”
W. Kelly Ingram, project manager for the bookstore and solarium
addition, said Monday, adverse weather may cause extra costs in
construction projects.
“The bookstore and solarium are already behind. The weather
has exasperated the situation a bit,” Ingram said.
“Weather can cause redos if it’s too cold for masonry,”
Ingram said. He said any project with redone areas would present
an additional cost.
“The whole [bookstore and solarium addition] project has been
absurd with delays,” Director of Student Programs David L.
Robertson said Tuesday.
Robertson said the largest inconvenience in the delays for students
and faculty is getting into the building.
Even with inconveniences to students and faculty, Robertson said
the delay is not impacting programs in W.H. Plemmons Student Union
since none have been scheduled for the area until after the summer.
“We are counting on the solarium being ready by November,”
Robertson said.
He said a conference is already planned for the area during November.
“The good news is we expect to have the new Greenbriar Cinema
open by the end of January,” said Robertson.
He said the theatre will show films for classes and other classic
films for the public.
Other construction projects on campus suffered small delays due
to weather.
Patrick A. Beville, project manager for the chiller plant and new
library, said work is being done to recover the schedule.
Beville said the project is two to four weeks behind due to weather,
but efforts are being made to keep the building warm enough to continue
masonry work.
He said he hopes to have the chiller working by April.
Weather delays should not affect the library, due to begin construction
in March, Beville said.
Other on-campus construction projects, such as the second phase
for the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Rankin Science
Building Annex, are currently on schedule, Ingram said.
