Construction: Fall finish

Though years of construction have kept students in temporary buildings and on auxiliary pathways, it appears the bulk of construction is nearing completion, according to Raymond Renner, director of construction management at the University of Cincinnati. At least as far as it affects students.

"Yes, you'll have construction periodically but it will be much more minimal," Renner said. He added that with the opening of MainStreet, construction is moving away from the center of campus. It is still continuing, but it will be away from the center of campus.

"There's a tremendous number of projects still under construction," Renner said. "We're always renovating something somewhere."

Construction moves at a slightly quicker pace over the summer, according to Renner. He attributes it more to better weather than a lower number of students on campus.

For students, the benefit of summer construction is that most of them don't have to watch it occur slowly over months. As a result, when students return in the fall there will be some openings to explore.

Buildings slated for completion by Fall Quarter include the Calhoun Street garage and retail developments, portions of the Student Recreation Center and University Park Apartments.

The housing, classroom and open space portions of the Student Recreation Center currently under construction near Sigma Sigma Commons will open for Fall Quarter.

The housing portion will be a 224-bed complex. It will be suite-style living similar to that of the Jefferson Residence Hall Complex except that it will only have two people to a suite.

"We've reduced the bathroom ratio from four-to-one to two-to-one," said Todd Duncan, director of Housing and Food Services.

Housing at the Recreation Center is only available to upperclassmen, which Duncan defined as sophomores and higher. The suites are already booked for next year; Duncan cited location as the primary reason.

"[The students are] living in the center of campus under the same roof as the Rec Center and on MainStreet," Duncan said. "It's the shortest walk on campus to class."

Also opening in the Rec Center is a 24-hour convenience store that will be open to all students.

"It'll be a new venture for us to have something open 24 hours a day but we feel there is a need for that," Linda Gindele, director of Retail Services, said.

The new convenience store will be about 4,000 square feet, which makes it about three times the size as the current market in the Tangeman University Center, according to Gindele.

Fresh fruit, salads, frozen beverages, sandwiches and some sporting goods will be available at the convenience store.

"We'll have everything we have in the current store plus we'll have a lot more grocery items," Gindele said. "We'll have a little more actual food."

Gindele also said the logistics are being worked out for a program that would deliver to the residence halls during evening hours.

On the edge of campus, the UC affiliated Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation's Calhoun residence and retail development will be open come fall. In addition, all lanes of Calhoun Street are scheduled to reopen, at least for a while.

"The north side of Calhoun will be complete Sept. 15th. At that time, the road work on the north side of the street will be complete and all the traffic lanes will be restored," Matt Bourgeios, an urban planner with CHCURC said. However, he added that the next phase of development, construction on the University Park Apartments between McMillan and Calhoun Streets, might result in a lane on the south side of the street being shut down.

The development will contain both apartments for UC students and retail stores. Although no stores have signed leases yet, several are in negotiations.

Lease negotiations are currently taking place with Panera Bread, Fifth Third Bank, Potbelly Sandwiches, The UPS Store, Salsarita's, The Wrap, Cingular Wireless and Coldstone Creamery, according to Bourgeios. He said other retailers would be added as negotiations progress.

University Park Apartments, is open to students regardless of class standing, faculty, staff - no one else.

"There is a UC affiliation requirement," said Matt Fulton, community manager for University Park Apartment.

The apartments include stoves, microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators. The bill is all-inclusive, including utilities and Internet access.

"We are offering the ability to live in a tall, modern apartment without sacrificing location," Fulton said.

There are still apartments available, but Fulton expects them to fill up by mid-summer. Visit www.myownapartment.com for more information.

After more than a year of being fenced off, restoration of Zimmer Hall's roof will begin in the late summer, Renner said. The big part of the project, putting a membrane on the roof to prevent leaks, is already complete. During the summer the roof will be restored and a garden will sit where the temporary pavilions once did.

Baldwin Quad, the other former site of another temporary pavilion, the "food bubble," will also receive a facelift.

"In conjunction with the roof-garden project, we're going to be getting the Baldwin Quad looking a little better," Renner said. "We're going to get rid of that fencing and concrete and get some nice green space."

Van Wormer Library, currently under construction, is not slated for completion until later in Fall Quarter.