Communication Arts building takes shape

Niki Reid
Editor-in-Chief

   Despite the cold temperatures, construction on the Communication Arts and Theatre Complex is on schedule with one-third of the project complete.

    "Things are going well, and we haven't had the best of weather," Ransom Clark, vice president of Administration, said. "[On-site project manager Jeff] Baumann has changed the pacing of the work, and moved work planned for now back and moved some things up."

   Since the $11.3 billion Communication Arts Complex project began construction, there have not been that many setbacks, said Physical Plant director Jim Heidler.

    "I've been impressed of how smoothly [the project] it has gone," he said.

   One setback was the anticipated depth of the utility lines between Montgomery and Cambridge Halls. The engineers said they expected the water line to be in the ground at a depth of 36 inches; however, the line was found to be only 4 inches below the surface.

   The group who spearheaded the construction project -- President Anne Steele, Clark and Vice President of Business and Finance Jim Wilson -- has been updated on the progress of the building every two weeks.

    The meetings involve Turner Construction representatives Bill Hedman and Baumann; Bialosky Partners LLC representative Bruce Horton; and college representatives Heidler, Wilson, Clark and director of Financial Analysis Phil Laube.

   During each meeting, the state of the work at that time and the projected work to be completed the following week is discussed, Clark said.

   Since the construction started, Physical Plant has remained busy building the new Wellness Center, as well as having moved the house (formerly next to the old Wellness Center) to 135 Lakeside, Heidler said.

   The anticipated completion date for the Communication Arts Complex is fall 2003.

    "It's very, very exciting to know what's going up, and (to know that) when it's finished it'll be part of the campus," Clark said. "It will be a signature building: an important physical feature."

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