When students came back from winter break, they were greeted with a sight that that hadn’t been there when they left: two large cranes, red and blue, overlooking the current construction of the new University Center/Student Housing project.
Although the construction has been going on for some time now, this is the most visible that it’s been, aside from the beeping of the trucks outside of Davis. Thanks to these cranes, both new and old questions are popping into students’ minds again. How is the construction going, and why exactly are those cranes there?
So what information is there to know about the new members of our campus? Well firstly, they’ll be staying around for about a year; the current plan is to dismantle and remove them by the Spring semester of 2021. Secondly, they’ll be operating at times that students are already used to, working from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. These will also be the only cranes that appear on campus, so there shouldn’t be anything else taking up the view while the new University Center/Student Housing Center is built.
Students also don’t need to worry about the cranes falling over onto the Howe Center or Davis Hall, as according to Robert Maffia, the Vice President for Facilities and Campus Operations, Stevens has “taken all necessary safety precautions” regarding the cranes. There is, of course, some danger that comes with the cranes, as shown by the crane that collapsed in New York City in 2016. But Maffia has made sure that any and all necessary precautions have been taken. In addition, any similar incidents to the one from 2016 have been few and far between, so there isn’t really a need to worry.
For the cranes to have been built over break, Sinatra Drive had to be closed for a couple of days. There are no current plans for any more closures, but Sinatra Drive may need to be closed here and there when transporting large loads or dealing with oversized equipment.
For the construction itself, everything is coming along smoothly; all parts of the project are on schedule, and the new University Center/Student Housing Center is set to be open by Fall 2022. The construction that is happening right now is mainly around making sure that the foundations are complete and that underground utilities such as stormwater, sanitary water, and electricity are properly installed. This step in the construction should be finishing up soon, and there are plans to begin vertical construction this spring.
Overall, the cranes will be on campus for some time and will be helping to move materials from Sinatra Drive to the construction area, as well as help on the construction site itself. There are currently no dangers associated with them, and everything seems to be working well. Although these cranes appeared suddenly, over time they’ll become part of the Stevens landscape and I’m sure that when they get dismantled it will be a noticeable change. The construction is coming along well, and the new University Center/Student Housing Center is on track to open by Fall 2022, just in time for that year’s freshmen.
Be First to Comment