Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Construction for the 139-seat expansion to The Underground is tentatively scheduled to begin after classes let out this month, according to KU Memorial Unions officials.
David Mucci, the director of KU Memorial Unions, said the project is on track to begin shortly after commencement.
Mucci said it’s just a matter of finishing up some paperwork in order to break ground.
The expansion to the congested area in The Underground, designed by third-year architecture student Whitney Jones, served as a major platform for Senate coalition KUnited’s 2010 campaign. In a recent interview with the Kansan where former student leaders Michael Wade Smith and Megan Ritter reflected on their time in office, Smith said the expansion was one of the most “noteworthy accomplishments” of their term.
“When we were running a year ago, people were really excited about making that horrible space down there at lunch time a little bit easier to navigate,” Smith, a senior from Goodland, said during the interview.
May 5 was the construction bid deadline and now Design and Construction management is going through the proposals.
Mucci said it takes about 30 days to go through “this process“ of checking the language within the proposals.
“Basically it’s just crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s,” Mucci said.
The timeline for the project is estimated to take about 90 days with the majority of construction taking place during the summer. The Hawk Shop will be closed and The Pulse will operate at a minimal function possibly affecting students taking summer courses on campus. The rest of The Underground will operate as usual, though.
With varying estimated dates of completion, the project is on schedule to be finished around the beginning of fall classes.
But Union officials think it could be sooner.
Wayne Pearse, the director of facilities for the Kansas Union, thinks the project could be completed on or before fall classes resume around August 15.
“I believe it will be accomplished,” Pearse said.
Other estimated dates of completion are closer to September 1.
Funding for the project is possible because of a recently approved $1.80 increase to the Student Union renovation fee under student fees. Student Senate approved the increase during student fee review in March. Mucci said it appears construction will come out on budget.
— Edited by Corey Thibodeaux
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Comments
Underground construction begin after classes end
I really hope that the Memorial Board Corporation plans on doing all of the ACTUALLY important repairs as well- like the sinking ballroom floor and the sketchy elevators. Additionally, I like how no one has asked the question, "will this work?" Because when Campus Fee Review asked, David Mucci replied "there is no way to tell". Great fact checking Kansan. Another stellar piece of non-biased journalism.
Underground construction begin after classes end
@wtfmate, Elevators and a new ballroom floor are on the list of Union renovations being done in the next year.
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