Campus construction moves forward

Recent campus construction projects are progressing at different rates and different levels of inconvenience.

While some recent projects will be complete in a few months, it will be years before the fences for other projects finally come down.

Boshamer Stadium

Although demolition was slated to begin mid-summer, Boshamer Stadium deconstruction didn't start until Oct. 1.

Despite this revision of the timetable, the demolition should be finished in a month, said Mike Bunting, assistant athletic director for facilities planning and management.

The $14 million renovation will begin once demolition is complete.

Improvements to the stadium include stadium suites, a new field and 4,000 additional seats - doubling its former capacity.

The project has displaced the baseball team, who will play in Cary this season.

"The new Boshamer should be ready in 2009," Bunting said. "The season starts in February and runs into the summer, so even if we had delays, it would be unlikely that we'd have to play another season in Cary."

Carroll Hall roof renovation

Students who attend class in Carroll Hall, home to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and UNC's largest lecture hall, have noticed the increased difficulty in entering and exiting the building.

There are only two entrances to the building, and shifting boundaries of fencing makes Carroll a prime location for pedestrian traffic jams.

"Traffic often comes to a standstill, with people coming out of Carroll, people going in and others just trying to cross to the quad," said Catherine Steddum, a junior who has class in Carroll.

The slate roof and cupola, or rounded top, are being replaced. The project is estimated to be completed in another three to four months, said Sid Stone, director of construction management.

Stone said the routes will continue to be blocked until the roofing project is finished.

"We're going be a little inconvenient until the roof is done, but we have to worry about the safety of pedestrians," he said.

Venable Hall

Internal demolition of the chemistry building began last week, said Ed Short, deputy director of construction management.

The internal demolition and salvaging of any recyclable material should be finished by Feb. 1, Short said, and external demolition should begin by Dec. 1.

Venable, originally constructed in 1925, is part of the second phase of the science complex renovation, which is slated to end in May.

The new Venable building will be attached to Caudill Labs as a northern extension, Short said.

In the meantime, the demolition has been going smoothly. "It's gone very well," Short said. "We have no major things to complain about."

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.