Adroit construction crews have received the green light to begin on SOU’s new dorms. The project is gaining both positive *and* negative attention.The new dorm, while considered necessary for s SOU’growth, is also a temporary sore spot for nearby students.
Frustrated with the construction.
Students say, “I have to park my car hella far over there. I don’t like it.” “It’s kind of disappointing.”
Construction crews broke ground today for SOU’s North Campus Village, scheduled for completion in 20-13. Bethany Johnson, a freshman, lives in the hall next door. She says the work is proving to be a hassle “It’s mostly the parking issues. I paid $118 dollars for a parking pass and I can’t park over here or right over there. Now it’s really inconvienient.”
The 31 million dollar project will involve tearing out, or grubbing, the adjacent parking lot, tennis courts, and five homes to make way for two resident halls and a dining area. “The trees are really beautiful right now it’s silly that they’re taking out just to put up a building,” continues Johnson.
However, Project Superintendent Doug Mckee says the trees will come back. “They’re not all coming down and they’re saving some trees even in the project area, and there’s going to be a lot more new trees coming in.”
Plus, workers say it’s good for the economy. Steve Lawrence, a project manager tells us, “It’s going to put a lot of people to work, from all different trades, for the next 15 months.”
So for now, students in the Greensprings complex will have to live with the noise and lack of parking. They say they’ll make do.
“I guess it has to happen,” concludes Johnson.
Now demolition on the parking lot begins Monday. The homes are coming down in the next month.
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