The new Student Success Center has just been approved to begin construction with a temporary fence being put in place to prevent disruptions in the construction process.
Construction first began by demolishing the tri-level steps leading up to the front of the library on Monday, April 25.
“When putting up fencing around construction sites on campus, we always discuss potential impact with relevant parties. Because the fencing went up when it did, we discussed it with student affairs and activities staff,” said Matt McWilliams, the director of Communications & Media Relations.
In between Greenwood Library and Lankford Student Union sits a large fence which prohibits students from crossing the intersection, a common route for students around campus. The new Student Success Center will be located in between the Lankford Student Union and the Greenwood library.
“The intention (for the fence) is that we have a safe zone for that construction to begin,” said Dr. Tim Pierson, vice president of Student Affairs.
The new Student Success Center has been in the planning process since February 2013 and has just recently had finalizations made in terms of paperwork to begin the groundwork. The fence was put up immediately after all the finalizations were made in order to begin work immediately.
The building is set to be completed on May 5, 2017 given that all plans run on the desired schedule, according to Pierson.
According to the construction webpage from Longwood University, “Students who walk into the new Student Success Center, a 25,000-square-foot building located between the Lankford Student Union and Greenwood Library, will be met with all those resources and support. Clustering services like the Center for Academic Success and First Year Experience under one roof provides the kind of convenience students want while increasing the likelihood of long-term academic success.”
Pierson stated that it could take a month in order to get all the offices moved into the building before it would be open.
As preparation for the upcoming graduation, vice presidential debate and the arrival of the class of 2020 are in full swing, the amount of construction seems at a maximum with the construction of the two new Sharp and Register residence halls, along with construction of the Upchurch University Center and the front of Willett Hall.
The use of some of the commuter parking spaces have been eliminated as a result of the fence being placed.
Pierson believed there are current excess parking spaces, which he stated will be re-evaluated in the summer to prepare for the fall.
David Gills, a freshman and commuter student, believed that the parking was restricted too much.
“It is very frustrating because commuter parking is already limited.” Gills added, “The construction on campus makes parking a hassle.”
In the case where it would become an issue with one category of parking spaces, adjustments could be made throughout the school year to accommodate for students parking on campus, according to Pierson.
“The construction on campus makes parking a hassle,” said Gills.
When asked about why the fence was not put up after Spring Weekend and graduation, Pierson replied that it wouldn’t be ideal for construction workers to “lose a month of work,” A month would be lost in the projected completion date if construction did not begin until after graduation.
According to McWilliams, a policy has been put into place for years which will “cease construction during commencement.”
The original plan was for construction to begin in the Spring of 2015 and to have been completed in the Winter of 2016.
