Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Ryan Townsend More renovations and construction are underway on Claire M. Fagin Hall of the School of Nursing. Phase two of the building's renovations will modify the third and fourth floors, which house faculty, research and administrative space. [Click to enlarge]

Your nutrition class is about to get a little noisy.

According to Nursing students, the first days of classes went smoothly but for a few interruptions caused by building construction, leading professors to complain out loud about the sounds of jackhammers.

Which means that improved facilities at the School of Nursing's Claire M. Fagin Hall may come with a cost in disruptions, in addition to the hefty $15 million price tag.

The building is entering the second phase of renovations, targeting the upper floors, which house mostly administrative areas and faculty offices.

This phase is scheduled to be completed in August 2008, but, according to administrators, it will be well worth the wait.

"What we're really planning to do is create a much better environment," said Pat Burke, executive director of finance and administration at the Nursing School. "This will be a far better environment, not only for faculty and staff, but for students."

As part of the construction, 80 faculty offices were moved to facilities at 40th and Chestnut streets, and classes this past summer were moved to other campus buildings.

First semester classes were unable to be moved as a result of course registration concerns, Burke said.

Disruptions to classes should be minimal, according to Burke, especially since the worst part of the construction - the demolition phase - is nearing completion.

"We'll enter the construction phase in about a month," he explained, noting that the project is on schedule.

To minimize inconvenience until then, most of the noisiest construction is scheduled for early in the morning, he said.

Continued...

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