By Alex Bradshaw
For students tired of the ongoing construction at U of L, some relief should be on the way with three large projects nearing completion.
The Ralph Wright Natatorium will have its grand opening today. The Ekstrom Library construction is scheduled for completion in November, and the Belknap Research Building should be completed in February 2006.
Both the natatorium and library projects have faced significant delays. During the May 2004 faculty senate meeting, the vice president for Business Affairs office reported that the natatorium would open in May 2005. By December 2004, the expected date had been pushed back to June.
William Brash, senior construction coordinator for Planning, Design and Construction at U of L, said that weather has been the primary cause for the delays on the natatorium. “The weather, as well as redesigns because of going over budget, pushed us back with the natatorium project,” Brash said.
Brash said that things are going according to plan for the Ekstrom Library expansion. “We plan on meeting our deadline on the library expansion,” Brash said.
However, the projected date of completion for the library expansion project, which began Aug. 9, 2004, has been pushed back. The original occupancy date listed on the Ekstrom Library’s Web site was Sept. 13, 2005. Now, the new wing is not expected to open until November.
Hannelore Rader, dean of University Libraries, said, “Although construction ends on the first of November, my staff will remain busy moving in for the next month.” Students can expect to see the Ekstrom expansion completely wrapped up by approximately Dec. 1.
Many students have found it difficult to study in the library due to the commotion and will be relieved when the project is finished. Matt Wells, a senior Justice Administration major, described the noise as “nerve-wracking.”
“It sounds like there are assault rifles going off directly over my head,” Wells said.
Student complaints about construction don’t end at the noise factor. Heather Hill, a senior Chemistry major, said parking has turned into a real inconvenience, too. The Belknap Research Building wiped out the parking lot she once used. “Now I take the bus from Papa John’s Stadium every day,” Hill said.
While some may not enjoy the construction or the delays, many have defended the workers. Rader said that after working closely with the construction team at the Ekstrom Library, she understands that every element of difficulty is thrown at people in the construction business.
“I feel like they are doing everything in their power to make the process go as quick as possible,” Rader said.
Arthur Albiero, coach of the U of L swim team, certainly appreciates the upgrade for the team, which will hold its meets in the new natatorium.
“The natatorium wasn’t an improvement for the swim team; it was a quantum leap,” Albiero said. He said the delay will not hinder the swim team because their schedule begins Sept. 30.
Brash said the Ralph Wright Natatorium, named after a former U of L swim coach, has a first-class pool for the men’s and women’s swim teams. The natatorium is 41,000 square feet, large enough to hold 800 spectators and athletes. Brash also said the natatorium was a great aesthetic addition to the campus because of its beautiful landscaping. The pool, which students will also have access to, has eight lanes and several diving boards ranging from one to 10 meters high.
The Belknap Research Building is predicted to be ahead of schedule for construction.
It will hold the state’s largest “clean room,” which contains “filtered air to provide ideal conditions for studying nanotechnology,” said Stephen Cotton, assistant director and architect of the Planning, Design and Construction program at U of L.
Nanotechnology will be the primary focus of the Belknap Research Building, but students studying physics, microfabrication and bioengineering can also expect to spend time inside.
Once completed, the Ekstrom Library addition will also offer a variety of new services to students. The library will have a 24-hour study facility which will be accessible with a Cardinal Card, an expanded cafe, a handicap-accessible auditorium with modern instructional technology, and a Robotic Retrieval System that holds 1.2 million volumes. The robots find the requested volumes and send them directly to the service counter.
The total cost for the library expansion was estimated at around $14 million, while the natatorium is estimated at $10.8 million and the research building at $41.4 million. Delays were not expected to increase the cost of the construction.
