Housing progress: Construction on living center awaits approval
Students that pass through 700 East might have noticed that construction on the new housing project has stopped for the last couple weeks.
Rumors are circulating around campus that the contractors lack a building permit necessary to continue the project, but that’s far from the truth, John Fitch, the project coordinator, said. Although the construction itself hasn’t started, the project is perfectly legal, he said.
Fitch said students had the impression that the construction had already started because of the demolition of the old steam plant. The project is still being designed, he said, and preliminary excavations were being done.
“To say that the project is not moving is wrong. We are not moving dirt from there, but a lot of work is being done,” Fitch said.
Fitch said he is working on paper work needed to transfer a piece of property from Logan City to Utah State University.
Fitch said the new underground parking lot is where all the utilities pipes are. In order to build anything in the planned zone, the pipes must be relocated. The new utilities will go under the old 600 North, which belongs to Logan City, he said.
The old street was already incorporated on the campus landscape and was being administered by USU for approximately 25 years, Fitch said.
Jay L. Nielsen, director of community development of Logan City, said the street needs to be transferred to USU so the construction can start.
“It’s not a controversial issue for us,” Nielsen said. “The legal procedures are required by law, and there is no easier way to transfer [the property].”
The legal measure is called vacating, he said, and the City Council will consider the matter in a workshop. If approved, it will go to a public hearing, Nielsen said.
Mark Nielsen, public works director of Logan City, said the process is on hold.
“We are waiting for a letter from Qwest saying that it’s ok to move its pipes and than we can start the procedure here in the City Hall,” he said.
Mark said it is hard to predict how long the process will take.
“We know that the university wants to finish as fast as it is possible, but we have to wait,” he said.
Jay said the old street will be transferred to USU with the condition that all costs for the relocation of the utilities pipes are paid by the university.
“The university will pay all the expenses for compensation for the right of way,” he said.
Fitch said the contractors for the new student housing started in July, and since then they have been working on the design. The university is trying a new method of construction, he said, so it can be faster than usual.
“In construction, there are usually three people involved, the architect, the contractor and the owner. They all have to agree on everything. In this project the architect and the contractor are the same firm. That makes the agreement easier, and therefore, the job faster,” he said.
The new housing complex is a project that will cost $30 million, will have more than 500 residents located in six buildings and it will be built west of the Taggart Student Center. The underground parking lot will accomodate more than 600 cars and the community center will be expected to be done by 2005. The resident buildings are going to be ready by Fall 2006.
The complex is called Living/Learning Center because it focuses on the education students can get outside of the classrooms.
-acantunes@cc.usu.edu