By Madison Thompson —

Construction and reconstruction have disrupted Belknap campus from Spring 2015 to now. The new Floyd Street roundabout, SAC renovation and new academic building have left campus in shambles for students and faculty to maneuver through.

Despite blocked sidewalks and roads, the renovations are an improvement and will benefit us all.

Crawford Gym, for example, was torn down and is being replaced by a technologically-modern building with seminar spaces, chemistry and biology labs and state-of-the-art classrooms.

The SAC renovation adds more meeting rooms, dining facilities and additional study space.

These renovations, though temporarily inconvenient, are running on schedule and will serve students and faculty in the future.

Just as technology and resources need to be updated, buildings also require updates to maintain current safety standards and accommodate a growing student body.

It is important to keep buildings up to code not only for safety standards, but also as a competitive venture. For any institution, safety should be a top priority. Keeping the university in competition with other universities also needs to be a top priority. Ways to do this are appealing to academia and updating technology and the surrounding buildings.

New buildings and the latest, greatest technology appeal to learning and innovative students.

New facilities increase the available space. As construction workers create new space and students move into them, other buildings can be renovated. Modern buildings, such as the one being constructed in place of Crawford Gym, utilize space more efficiently.

The multipurpose potential of the new construction also benefits us. We can look forward to study areas, classrooms and restaurants all in one building. There will be fewer people crammed shoulder to shoulder into 200+ lecture halls. Older classrooms will be free to be updated.

Though the construction seems to be a never-ending process, it will be for the best because it will bring new and improved technology and space to campus.

Photo by Madison Thompson / The Louisville Cardinal