With delays that stemmed from revising construction drawings, the college now expects to complete of the Cimmarusti Science Center by the end of the summer of 2003.

According to Bill Taylor, Director of Business Services, there are three phases to the construction project. The first phase includes relocation of utilities and demolition work in order to clear the construction site. Also included in the first phase is the approval of some 250 pages of construction plans and drawings.

Phase two will include a job walk, introducing to the site potential contractors to the site who will then bid for the project, as well as the actual construction of the science center.
Finally, phase three will be the renovation of the CM building.

With the process of plan approvals and phase one just wrapping up, the beginning of phase two and the job walk is expected to happen this week, according to Taylor.

“It is inconvenient that we didn’t have [winter session] to do work,” said Taylor. “Our main concern was to make sure the plans were complete first.”

Even though demolition was completed in late fall, delays in revising the plans have put off the beginning of major construction until April 15.

In order to keep the project under the original 18-month schedule, construction should run continuously in order to be completed by fall of 2003.

“We won’t have a lot of big equipment, but it will have an impact on the college,” said Taylor. “Most of the work will be done in front of the campus, so students will be re-directed.”

Along with having to deal with construction during high enrollment sessions, students will also see an increase in traffic and parking problems, according to Taylor. As many as six disabled student parking slots will be taken away during construction and students will have to compete with as many as 30 contractor cars for parking spaces.

“We just don’t want students to give up and go away,” said Taylor.

In order to accommodate parking, the shuttle program will be reinstated for students.