San Diego State University students living on the east side ofcampus will have something new to look forward to next semester–noise.
Beginning in mid-February, construction will begin on TemploMayor, the new suite-style residential housing complex and diningarea that will be built on parking lots H and I.
This construction will mainly affect more than 1,200 studentsliving in the Olmeca, Maya, Zura and Tenochca residence halls. Theproject site is approximately 20 feet from the walkway outsideOlmeca.
Work will begin daily around 7 a.m. and will continue until 3:30p.m., said Will Nighswonger, facilities manager.
Construction will include the use of tractors, bulldozers, cranesand other earth-moving equipment.
“It’s bad enough having to hear people use the phone outside tocall other rooms,” said Travis Walker, Olmeca resident, whose dormwindow faces the future construction site. “I can’t even imagine whatit will be like when the tractors are there.”
The heavy construction is scheduled to be finished by springfinals, Nighswonger said. SDSU prohibits any construction duringfinals week to allow students to concentrate.
The $40.3 million is part of SDSU’s “Aztec Master Plan” that willreconstruct the College Area. Templo Mayor is expected to open inFall 2001.
The money for the complex was allocated to SDSU by a CaliforniaState University bond issue. SDSU has 25 years to pay back the bond.
“I just don’t like the idea because I won’t like all that noisewhen I’m studying,” said Justin Thomas, a Maya resident. “I don’twant to be woken up at 7 in the morning.”
Mike Hoctor, director of housing and residential life, said theuniversity is looking into a way to compensate residents for theinconvenience.
“Many past students have suffered in the same way to have what wehave today,” Hoctor said.
Additionally, safety issues for pedestrians near the constructionsite are a concern.
This August, a construction worker was killed while working onParking Structure V when he was hit in the head by a hydraulic jackafter a highly stressed cable snapped.
Nighswonger said an 8-foot fence will border the new constructionsite to keep trespassers away. But, he said, this kind of barriersometimes doesn’t stop trespassers.
“Even if we do put up fences, students are everywhere,”Nighswonger said. “Students ignore it and we find them on theconstruction sites.”
Templo Mayor will have two-six-story buildings to accommodate 694residents connected by a two-story dining hall. Students will residein eight-person suites, mostly comprised in single-person bedrooms.
Each suite will have two bathrooms, a common living area andmini-kitchen area. Each floor will have a lounge, a residentassistant room and a single bedroom with a private bathroom that mayserve as a guest room.
The structure will also contain a residential dining area similarto West Commons. Inside, a “marketplace” buffet will include severalfood stations such as a granary, salad bar, pizza, grill,euro-kitchen and exhibition cooking.
“It would be cool to have a food place right outside my doorinstead of having to walk so far to the commons,” said Scott Roberts,an Olmeca resident.
The new residential hall will offset the loss of 669 spaces withthe demolition of Templo del Sol on the west side of campus.Nighswonger said he is not certain when the dormitory will be torndown.
Hoctor said West Commons would remain open as long as Templo delSol and Chapultepec exist on the west side of campus.
To accommodate for the loss of parking spaces in lots H and I,Nighswonger said a new four-story parking structure may be built nextto Parking Structure III.
The construction, he said, would not begin until Parking StructureV on the west side of campus is open next semester.
