The most expensive building project ever at UVM has been approved.
At their meeting last month, members of the board of trustees approved a construction project that would remodel the current Cook Physical Sciences building, Angell Lecture Hall and expand to the green space outside of Old Mill.
This building would house the science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments, also known as STEM.
The total cost of this project is $100 million and is estimated to take around four years to complete.
This construction plan will be a part of other capital planning projects as outlined in the Housing Master Plan from last year.
These other projects include removing the Chittenden-Buckham-Wills dorms, adding new dorms next to Marsh-Austin-Tupper and an independent expansion of the Fletcher Allen healthcare center.
In order to remove the student housing on Central Campus, the new dorms on Athletic Campus must be built, creating a domino effect of construction projects at UVM.
These projects will completely change the geography of Central Campus during and after the time of construction.
If Fletcher Allen and the University start these extensive construction undertakings, a large portion of Central Campus, stretching from Old Mill to the hospital, will be covered by construction, even if they work on the project in phases as planned.
Since the new STEM building is expected to take four years to complete, it could drastically alter the campus for an entire class of students’ undergraduate experience.
With SpringFest just around the corner, the Cynic can’t help but ask: Where will the annual concert be held during those four years if Central Campus is under construction?
Although we are excited about the Housing Master Plan and STEM building for the long term, we can’t help but express concern for the undergraduates that will go to class on a campus under construction.
The Cynic is pleased that the administration is working to better and beautify the campus in an attempt to make it more useful for students.
And don’t worry; we have been assured the STEM building will fit in with the architecture of the campus and not stick out like the yellow and blue Redstone Lofts.
