by Bridget M. Rohrer
Staff Writer
Throughout last semester and into this spring, the University of La Verne has been constructing and reconstructing a number of facilities on campus.
Over $7 million is being spent on the campus improvements and construction on the new library, which despite the January rains, is still on schedule.
According to Brian Worley, facilities management director, the library construction has been coming along very well.
“The rain made a little bit of a dent in the plans to put a roof on the library, but everything is right on schedule,” said Worley.
Plans for the landscaping of Sneaky Park were approved by the City of La Verne, Tuesday, Feb. 7. Its completion date is planned for December or January.
Construction in Davenport Dining Hall should be finished next week. Also under construction is the greenhouse and storage area that is being built next to the Student Center.
January construction included rewiring connection to Founders Hall to accommodate the laying of fiber-optic wiring. The fiber optics will help connect all of the buildings on campus to the VAX, the electronic mail and computer server on campus.
There have been some minor inconveniences with all of the construction that is occurring. However, those most affected by the construction do believe that the brief intrusions have been well worth it.
“For a while we had no bathrooms available, making it inconvenient for everyone, but that has been taken care of now,” said Norm Venables, director of ARA Dining Services.
The restrooms were updated to comply with state codes and will have handicap stalls. Also, the ladies’ restroom is visible now. In the past, the entrance was hidden in a hallway. No room was taken away from the existing building. A small room was added to the back of the building for the restroom space. The dining hall has new copper piping allowing for more water pressure. The project cost approximately $90,000.
Construction of the greenhouse storage area was slowed by the rains but is now continuing. Worley expects the project to be finished by next Monday or Tuesday. He believes the Biology Department should be able to move in by the beginning of March. This project has cost ULV an estimated $70,000.
According to President Stephen Morgan, the Founders Hall rewiring project has now been completed and can maintain all of the communication and computer systems needed in the building.
“It is a very old building,” said Dr. Morgan. “The rewiring was long overdue. Everything should run more efficiently now.”
Along with the rewiring project, ULV has plans to add fiber optic lines connecting all of the major buildings on campus. This project cost an estimated $150,000.
The most recent construction plans are connected to the Student Center. Worley said that the turrets were creating a major problem with the rains. A number of leaks have surfaced since the January rains; creating the need for a new roof.
“There is a great deal of equipment on the them and we are working with an architect to design a roof to cover them,” said Worley.
There is no estimated cost for this project because it is still in the preliminary stages with the architect formulating his ideas. Worley said that they are working on it because it is necessary to get the leaks taken care of promptly.
Bridget M. Rohrer
