Construction on campus progresses

Gerald Doherty — Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

Across the campus, from the Circle Apartments to the new Athletic and Events Center, construction projects that broke ground last semester are starting to wrap up.

New construction on the Circle Apartments will add 168 beds to the existing complex by the end of next July. In addition to residencies, the Office of Facilities will expand the workout room in the community center, relocate the mailbox room and renovate the vending machine room into a convenience store, which will be completed within three weeks.

On the other side of campus, construction on a new pathway  connecting Coddington Road to campus will be completed within the next three weeks.

Rick Couture, associate vice president for the Office of Facilities, said the construction began in May and is intended to provide  an alternative to dormitories.

“One of the messages we hear clearly from students is that they would prefer apartment-style living over typical residence hall-style living,” Couture said.

Couture also said the pathway is part of the construction of the Athletic and Events Center project and will make walking to and from the new center safer.

“We put it in to encourage students to — instead of walking up and down Coddington Road — actually use the pathway, which we feel is much safer,” Couture said.

While the finished products are intended to make life easier for students, for some the construction itself is untimely.

Junior Stacey Lawrence said it was inconvenient the workout room will be closed for renovations during the only semester she will be living in a Circle. But Lawrence said that new additions, such as the convenience store, take away the feeling of detachment from the campus.

“After living in Landon for two years and being so close to everything, it was a weird feeling to be constantly immersed in your schoolwork,” she said. “With the Circles, you can actually come back and it feels like you’re going home and your day is done.”

Lawrence said she was confused as to why the college chose to expand the Circle Apartments.

“I don’t get why they’re trying to become Ithaca University,” she said. “There’s plenty of places off-campus for people to go. I feel that the money could be better spent elsewhere.”

Junior Marc Phillips, who lives in a Circle Apartment, said  it makes sense that the college would add services available within the apartment complex.

“Personally, I think it’s a good idea to expand the community center to keep in line with the growing student population,” he said.