Construction of the new West Campus dormitory-the West-Edens Link-officially began this week as the Ocean parking lot and a section of Wannamaker Drive closed permanently Monday and workers started the lengthy process of securing and preparing the construction area.
"Basically [this summer] we're... doing utility work, site preparation work, redoing traffic patterns, things of that nature," said Jim Becker of Beacon Skansa Construction Company of Boston. "[We're trying] to facilitate the actual construction of the dormitory, which starts in the fall."
Students' return in the fall also places special demands on the work site, like completely closing it off and constructing clear paths from Edens Quadrangle to Main West Campus. "We need to get the site completely enclosed so that students don't have to deal with [an open construction site]," said Director of Residential Life Review Judith White. "[We need to make sure] their paths are clear and lighted."
By the end of the summer, builders expect to relocate utility lines, create an area for cars to turn around on Wannamaker Drive, fence the entire site and construct these new paths connecting Edens to Few, Wannamaker Drive and the traffic circle.
The building of WEL will eventually allow administrators to phase out Trent Drive Hall as residential space and to provide a link between the historically isolated Edens Quadrangle and Main West Campus. The project was approved May 12 by the Board of Trustees and is expected to be completed by August 2002.
The construction site used to comprise 450 parking spaces, which will be relocated to now-RT zone lots off Wannamaker Drive past Towerview Drive. White said she does not expect construction to inconvenience summer students with parking needs and noted that Edens B and C lots will remain open.
The noise policy, which restricts loud construction activity to after 8 a.m., has become another contentious issue, with students complaining that early morning work will interrupt their sleeping patterns.
This policy will not affect University students over the summer, though, because only participants in Duke's sports camps and conferences, who normally have to wake up early, stay there.
Still, despite White's assurances that inconveniences will be minimized during the school year and almost non-existent over the summer, some students were bothered by the impact they anticipate construction will have on their lives.
"It's a pain when you want to go to the traffic circle from Science Drive and you have to go all the way around," said Pratt junior Anup Shah.
Jaime Levy contributed to this story.
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