Written by Caroline Damron
Recent construction by several of the girls’ dorms has caused confusion and frustration for many students.
Danny DeRamus, the Director of the Physical Resource department said there are two separate projects being worked on.
“In between Sears and Searcy, we are building a new machine room,” DeRamus said. “[So when] we remodel, we can put a pitched roof on Sears.”
The old machine room, which houses the electrical and plumbing units for the dorm, was originally on the roof, but to allow for the pitched roof design, it is being moved to the side of the building.
The construction will not be completed this semester, but DeRamus said for now they will clean up the sidewalk in between Sears and Searcy.
The project that is causing most of the inconvenience for students is by Stephens dorm and on Remington Road.
“The work in the street is being done by the city,” DeRamus said. “A new 20-inch water line is being installed from a tap in front of Stephens dorm all the way to the industrial park south of town. This is the only project that will affect the traffic this much, and it is supposed to be completed before Spring Sing.”
The frustrations have not come from noisy drilling or industrial smells, but from the simple inconvenience of roadblocks, which force students to find different driving routes.
“I’ve only noticed the construction because of the roadblocks,” junior Brittany Mills, a resident of Searcy dorm, said. “One day [construction workers] are there and the next day they’re gone, but then they’re right back up the next day, so I never know where I can and can’t drive.”
The construction on Remington Street, which runs between the West married apartments and behind the girls’ dorms caused some detours and delays.
“I never realized how much I used Remington until it was impassable,” junior Molly Ellis, a Shores resident, said. “I’m ready for the construction to be done and to not have to think so hard about how to get around on our small campus.”
Even though the number of students who have been affected is great, no one really seemed to know what was being fixed.
“I thought they were widening the turn in front of Stephens dorm,” junior Mary McBride, a Pattie Cobb resident, said. “It’s frustrating not knowing what they’re really doing.”
Students have said a chapel announcement making students more aware of the construction would be helpful.
“Walking to the Ulrey is scary,” junior Anna Shaffer, a Pattie Cobb resident, said. “It would be great if they would tell us in chapel what is going on because chapel is where most students get information about campus.”
Despite the inconveniences and not knowing what was going on, students still managed to live their lives while coping with the modifications.
