As fall semester comes to a close, some construction projects in and around the ISU campus are nearing completion while others are entering new phases of construction.

Some of the larger projects include renovations to Coover Hall, Morrill Hall and the Memorial Union and construction of new facilities such as the Hixson-Lied Student Success Center, Alumni Center, Dairy Farm and additions to the Veterinary Medicine building.

The Hixson-Lied Student Success Center is expected to be ready for use by the beginning of second semester and work on Morrill Hall is expected to be completed by March.

Dean McCormick, assistant director of construction services for the Department of Facilities Planning and Management, is satisfied with the progress of all the construction efforts on campus.

“We have a lot going on, a couple hundred projects in planning, design or construction,” McCormick said. “In construction, everything has its own challenges, but it seems to be going well.”

Students interested in keeping track of these projects can check their progress via webcam on the Facilities Planning and Management Web site at Fpm.iastate.edu. All of the following comments on projects are by McCormick.

Memorial Union

Start: February

End (projected): Fall 2008

Features: South addition for University Book Store expansion, upgrades and renovations to ballrooms and other existing areas and improved access from parking garage.

Comment: “On schedule. We are very pleased with the progress of the beginning phases of this multiphase project. We will start moving people into the building in March.”

Alumni Center

Location: Iowa State Center, west of parking lots A2 and A3

Start: July

End (projected): Spring 2008

Features: Office space for Alumni Association, and new space for alumni-related operations, ballroom, memorabilia area and lounge area.

Comment: “This building will provide an attractive facility for alumni to come back and enjoy campus. This is a slow-starting project because we are building into the side of a hill. It is a challenging project, but we are on schedule.”

Morrill Hall

Start: May 2005

End (projected): March 2007

Features: Renovation of existing areas, added space for the Center for Teaching Excellence, Christian Peterson Art Museum and the Center for Visual Learning in Textiles and Clothing.

Comment: “Whenever you are in an old building like this, you run into unexpected problems, but we are working very hard and expect to complete it on time.”

Hixson-Lied Student

Success Center

Location: Richardson Court and Beach Road

Start: July 2005

End (projected): January 2007

Features: Provides space for the Hixson Opportunity Awards program, the athletic department’s Center for Educational Services and the Academic Success Center.

Comment: “We are moving in furniture right now, and putting some finishing touches on the building.”

Coover Hall

Start: May

End (projected): January 2008

Features: Will provide improved office and lab space for students and faculty in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Comment: “We are on schedule, but it is still very early in this project. The real challenge will be where we stand as we near the end.”

Veterinary Medicine

Location: Adjacent to existing Veterinary Medicine complex

Start: October

End (projected): August 2008

Features: Addition to the College of Veterinary Medicine that houses a large animal and equine facility, first phase in a planned multiphase project including construction of new teaching hospital.

Comment: “We have been moving an awful lot of dirt; the focus of this project is utility and site work.”

ISU Dairy Farm

Location: South of Ames

Start: March

End (projected): Fall 2007

Description: $15 million multi-building dairy farm facility replacing the smaller Ankeny facility.

Progress: On schedule.