The beginning stages of construction for the East Campus Housing project are underway, according to Binghamton University officials.
Workers began fencing off the construction site Monday while specific parking areas moved offline.
Once the fencing component of the project is completed, the excavation will begin, according to Physical Facilities spokeswoman Karen Fennie, who described the project as “good so far.”
“Everything is going as planned,” she said. “We’re optimistic. We’ve have a good contractor. He’s had experience on campus before, so we hope that things continue to go smoothly.”
Vice President for Administration James VanVoorst said the project is running on schedule, and that officials are looking forward to seeing the project develop, especially considering the “very tight time frame.”
According to VanVoorst, many people have been “understanding” in their reactions to the start of the project.
“People are working very closely with us to make this as easy as possible on everybody,” he added.
But the altered parking situation has caused concern among some students, especially Newing College residents.
Sarah Wenig, Newing College Council’s vice president of public affairs, said the parking conditions were an inconvenience, from having to park in lower lots to walking farther for cab rides.
“I cannot begin to tell you how upset people are,” said Wenig, a sophomore human development major.
Parking lots S1 and S2, as well as designated areas of lots S3 and S5, were closed as of 11 p.m. Sunday. To counter the loss of parking in those areas, BU officials have reserved alternative lots Y3 and Y2 (which are both located near Mountainview College) and E1, which is adjacent to the East Gym, for any displaced vehicles.
Hangtags are not required to park in the designated lots, according to information posted on the Web site for Physical Facilities.
Both Fennie and VanVoorst said it was too early to tell whether additional reserved parking would be necessary, but the University has looked into the issue. In an “executive statement” within the Campus Parking Assessment posted on the Physical Facilities site, recommendations include expansions to Lot T1, among other suggestions.
VanVoorst also said routes for trucks going back and forth from the site were scheduled to avoid interfering with the normal traffic patterns at BU.
Freshman Newing resident Danielle Levy agreed with Wenig on the parking issue, after parking in an uncertain spot and subsequently finding two $25 parking tickets on her vehicle.
“I had nowhere, and I mean nowhere, to park the other day so I parked in a spot that kind of looked like one, but put me on the grass a little,” she said. “It was the only available spot and now I’m being penalized for it — very unfair.”
But Newing occupant Ashley Ames, who lives in Bingham, adjacent to the construction site, said she has little reason to complain so far.
“Construction is never an easy thing to go through, but so far it hasn’t been that bad,” Ames, a freshman nursing major, said. “I don’t really hear the noise from my room so I’m pleased about that. However, it’s only been one week of construction so far, so I doubt that the whole no-noise situation will last.”
For additional updates on the ECH project, visit the Construction News page of the Physical Facilities Web site at facilities.binghamton.edu.