UCLA recently announced plans to build four new residence halls on the Hill, each of which is set for completion by 2013.
The $375 million project will add 1,500 beds to on-campus housing, along with a new fitness facility, a 750-seat dining commons, and a 425-seat multipurpose room, according to a university statement.
“It’s a very big project. Really ““ a lot will change,” said Pete Angelis, the assistance vice chancellor of Housing and Hospitality Services.
The goal of the project is to be able to guarantee four years of housing to incoming freshman and two years to transfer students, Angelis said.
The project is broken down into three phases of completion.
The first phase, which will begin over the summer and be completed by December 2009, involves the placement of new pipelines along Charles E. Young Drive West to accommodate additional facilities.
The second and third phases will see the construction of two residence halls between Evergreen Terrace and Saxon Suites, two residence halls adjacent to Sproul turnaround, and a dining commons that will be annexed to Sproul Hall.
Construction of these phases will commence in Fall 2009.
During this period, Sproul turnaround will be closed, and the Office of Residential Life building will be demolished to make room for a new residence hall.
Crews of 175 men will bring in as many as 75 truckloads of concrete a day over the duration of construction, according to the university statement.
Construction will be carried out near Sproul Hall, Evergreen Terrace and Saxon Suites.
The Office of Residential Life is attempting to mitigate concerns that ongoing construction might disrupt campus life by assuring students that steps will be taken to reduce the impact of ongoing construction.
“We plan to open up additional study space at the Bradley Center, and there will be low noise levels during finals week,” said Suzanne Seplow, director of the Office of Residential Life.
Construction crews will work on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and there are currently no plans to work over on weekends, he added. Still, some students said they doubt the university will be able to eliminate the negative effects of construction.
“I understand the importance of being able to live in the dorms, and I think it’s a good thing the university is trying to allow more people to experience dorm life,” said David Park, a first-year physics student.
“But I do most of my studying in my room, and I’m worried about how the noise might affect my sleeping and studying habits. Seven o’clock construction seems like an early wake-up call,” he said.
Other students echoed similar sentiments, with some suggesting that construction should be minimized during the school year.
“(UCLA) should consider a means to complete the project without hurting the dorm experience for current students, who are helping to pay for these new buildings,” said Andrew Freudman, a first-year undeclared life sciences student.
Seplow said the Office of Residential Life will listen to students’ concerns and address them as well as possible.
Angelis stressed the importance of adding new residence halls.
“This fall we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary of life on the hill,” he said. “Since Dykstra Hall was completed in 1959, we have not had enough housing to accommodate demand.”
Money for the project is being raised separately from government funds, Seplow said.
The university has taken out a loan that allows it to pay for the $375 million project in annual installments over a 30-year period, she said.
A certain proportion of student housing fees are being used to pay for each installment.
Due to an existing savings account from money collected over the past ten years, housing fees will not be raised beyond usual inflationary increases, Angelis said.
“We are very sensitive to the costs of an education and we are doing everything we can to minimize housing costs,” he said.