When Jackie McClendon looks out of her sixth floor window of the Athletic Administration Building, she sees a lot of unfinished business.
McClendon, the building’s secretary, has a view of Tiger Stadium’s west side, which recently has turned into a hodgepodge of construction tools.
She said the view is more interesting than a parking lot full of cars, but she was beginning to wonder when she would be able to notice progress on the stadium.
McClendon said she has been watching the workers from her window since they started preparing for construction last spring, and she is glad to see there finally has been some improvement.
Eddie Nunez, athletic director of game and event management and new projects, said construction on the stadium is going much better now than it has in the past.
The workers and architects had to revise the schedule because they had to drive more piles into the ground than they originally planned, Nunez said.
He said the good weather has helped move construction along, and everything so far was in preparation for demolition, which will begin next Monday.
Nunez said the athletic department had to hire extra workers when construction first began because they were behind due to rainy weather, but since then they have been moving along at the right pace.
Nunez said fans at football games have slowed down the progress on a day-to-day basis, but overall they have been cooperative and have not hindered the process.
“The construction workers and architects work into the afternoon and at night, so they have continued to stay on track with their work,” Nunez said. “Things have been going well and we know they will continue to.”
Aside from her job as a secretary, McClendon said she also works the Saturday night games in Tiger Stadium.
“Fans haven’t been complaining about the construction,” McClendon said. “They generally complain about having to walk farther than they did before, and I can understand that. All I can tell them is it will be worth it in the end.”
Nunez said the construction should be finished before the first football game of the 2005 season.