Students who have wondered where the sidewalk went may be glad to know that ongoing renovations to the Waterman building are nearing completion.

Since February,  construction crews have worked on Waterman’s highly trafficked entrance to fix structural issues that have caused the building’s underground levels to flood in the past, Vice President of Finance and Administration Richard Cate said.

With a $781,521 price tag according to budget estimates provided by Cate, the project is not cheap. But he said he is optimistic it will be well worth the investment. 

“We’ll have an indestructible surface, we’ll catch the water, and it’ll look a lot better,” he said.

During a tour of the construction site last week, Cate said Waterman’s porous stone foundation- unlike the concrete foundations that many newer buildings have-is to blame for the problem.

Previously, storm water runoff falling from the roof would saturate the ground and seep through the cracks of Waterman’s foundation. A new drainage system has been designed to  capture this excess water. 

The current project also includes a cosmetic upgrade to  the front of the building.

“Students had learned their geometry, and knew that the shortest distance between the two points was a straight line,” Cate said, referring to the dirt paths that cut diagonally across the lawn area.

“So, we decided that if that’s the way that everyone wants to walk, then that’s were we would put the sidewalks,” Cate said.

Architectural blueprints of the new design show two walkways extending diagonally from the South Prospect Street sidewalk toward the concrete patio in front of the building.

Although Cate said the project would ultimately benefit students, some feel like the construction has been an inconvenience that has taken too long.

“It’s annoying to not have sidewalks and needing to walk on the road,” sophomore Alexandra Desenzo said. “But the good part is it’s always a good excuse for being late to class.”

Cate said he expects the project to be completed in time for commencement events scheduled for mid-May.