South 40 residents moved back to campus this August to find the first phase of construction in the area finished and the second part already underway.

The first phase consisted of the construction of two new dorms—the South 40 House and Umrath House, as well as the construction of two new dining facilities housed in the South 40 House.

“My first reaction was, ‘Wow, that’s definitely different than when I left,’” sophomore Eric Salzberg said. “I am not that wild about the new facades. They just look kind of fake, and not college dorm-y to me.”

The former Wohl Center, which previously housed two dining facilities, the fitness center, mail room and convenience stores, was demolished over the summer to make way for the current phase of construction.

“I think the eateries are the biggest difference, especially Bear’s Den,” sophomore Brian Kline said. “It used to be really open and central, like a hub. Now it’s like an underground tunnel.”

Other students are taking issue with the exercise facility currently available on the South 40. A temporary fitness center has been set up in Umrath House, but it lacks some of the features of the former facility.

“The fact that there are no weight machines is ridiculous,” sophomore Melissa Baker said.

The current construction has also led to limited recreational space on the South 40.

“I am not particularly fond of that road that now runs through the Swamp. I liked the open space of the Swamp,” Salzberg said. “The amount of open area has since been diminished on the 40.”

The construction has also made it more difficult for students living in certain dorms to move around the South 40.

“It’s really inconvenient to get around, to get to campus,” said sophomore Monatrice Lam, who has to go to main campus from Mudd House each day.

Some students, however, said they do not mind the construction.

“It hasn’t really hindered my everyday life,” Kline said.

Sophomore Andrew Larson echoed this sentiment.

“Its not a big inconvenience,” Larson said. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. There will always be construction going on. We are enjoying the benefits of previous construction.”

“I’m excited to see what they build. It looks like it is going to be pretty,” freshman Becca Zod said.

The construction will be completed by the 2010-2011 school year. Additions will include an expansion of Bear’s Bakery & Grill to house a new Bear Mart, an Indian station and a Mongolian grill.

The temporary dining facility located on the first floor of South 40 House will be removed and replaced with offices and a kosher kitchen.

Another South 40 addition will be College Hall, a major assembly space on the South 40 that will also feature dining space for students.

“I am really excited about next year, because after all of the construction is over, it will be more convenient than ever to get around the 40,” Lam said.

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Tags: Bear's Bakery & Grill, college hall, construction, south 40, south 40 house

This entry was posted on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 2:34 am and is filed under Facilities and Construction, News, Residential Life and Dining. You can follow any responses to this entry through this feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.