Ah, it’s that time of year again, that’s right, the ever-elusive flu, snow, refund, just kidding, construction season.
Oh wait, it’s January. Every other answer could be correct, the mind just wouldn’t normally jump to construction.
But here it is January, at UTM, with soggy ground because of rain and recently melted snow and construction workers out and about sharing their joyful noise of backhoes and other construction equipment.
So as you’re avoiding muddy holes and swerving around traffic cones in the middle of the road, here is an update on how the latest construction work at UTM is progressing.
Tim Nipp, director of Physical Plant Operations at UTM, spoke to The Pacer regarding some of the construction currently occurring and coming soon on campus.
The construction that has fenced off the Fine Arts parking lot is for renovations to Harriet Fulton Theater’s lighting and air systems. Unfortunately, for anyone looking to park there any time soon, the construction is not estimated to be completed until June.
For those avoiding the construction between Gooch Hall and the Holland McCombs building and who are now taking the small sidewalk path that has been added, this construction is part of the ongoing steam line replacement. It was projected to be completed in February. Nipp says the weather has complicated this process, so the completion date has been moved slightly.
Demolition of the Communications Building and the ongoing remodeling of Clement Hall are still out for bid, so there are no specific dates or updates for these projects.
Nipp also said that the Humanities parking lot will not be affected until the new Latimer Building, also known as the STEM building, project is started later in the year.
All joking aside, construction at UTM may be a constant for the moment, but the changes are intended to make the campus better in the long term, according to a statement made by Chancellor Keith Carver last semester during a previous interview concerning campus construction.
Students at UTM should be aware of cones and construction processes during this time and take extra precautions navigating the campus, especially during patches of rough weather.
The construction to replace the steam lines in between Gooch Hall and the McCombs Apartments is still ongoing. |Photo credit/Anna Baker
