As a handful of construction projects are wrapping up this semester, bigger projects are on the horizon including new plans for Greek housing and another new residential hall.
The majority of projects still in planning phases have completion dates set for 2016, including the construction of the Alpha Phi sorority house in the location of the old Delta Chi house on sorority row and the construction of a second new residential hall in the north end of the Hart Lot.
The Alpha Phi house is set to be complete in June 2016. The demolition of the old Delta Chi house will take place in spring 2014, according to Roger Husser, director of Planning, Design and Construction for Facility Services.
Planning is also underway to renovate the University Press building and convert it to Greek-ready housing by fall 2015 in order to accommodate new sororities or fraternities coming to campus. University Press will be relocated to Johnston Hall, Husser said, although the move may not be permanent.
“There are also plans for a second new resident hall in the north end of the Hart Lot,” Husser said. The second new residential hall will be just like the first one currently under construction. Additional parking will be added to offset that residential hall, but Husser said there are currently no parking plans directly related to the project. Construction on the second residential hall will begin in 2016.
Other projects underway include the first two phases of the UREC expansion and redesign, the construction of Cypress Hall in the Hart Lot, which is set to be complete by fall 2015, and the new parking lot, which is nearing completion, Husser said.
Husser said construction on the third and final phase of the UREC expansion will begin in the spring with various parts of the UREC being roped off to students during construction while new areas will be opened for use as the project progresses.
The $6 million Career Services project in the Student Union will be completed this summer and will be available for students in the fall 2014 semester.
Additionally, the completion of Tiger Stadium construction is set for the day before the first home game of the fall 2014 football season.
Phase II of the Easy Streets project, the first phase of which began this summer, will be completed by spring.
Patrick F. Taylor Hall is expected to begin construction in the next few months and will come online in phases each year until 2017, Husser said.
Recently completed projects include the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory behind the School of Veterinary Medicine, which opened last week; the Animal Food and Science Laboratory; Annie Boyd Hall renovations; the LSU Hilltop Arboretum on Highland Road; and the Louisiana Digital Media Center.