The unseasonably warm weather has been more than helpful in the construction of the new buildings on Central Campus.

Warren Madden, vice president for Business and Finance, said construction projects for the Martin C. Jischke Honors Building and the Gerdin Business Building are on schedule, and even a little ahead.

Madden said there haven’t been any unexpected costs in the construction of the new buildings.

“People are really pleased with the progress,” he said.

Liz Beck, director of the Honors Program, said the new honors building, named after former ISU President Martin C. Jischke, will offer many more services to the honors students at Iowa State.

Many freshman honors classes will be taught in the building, Beck said. The facility will be available 24 hours a day to allow honors students a place to meet and study.

“Originally there was a lot of concern about the placement of the building,” Beck said. “Now people see how it fits into the environment, and it looks quite nice . very unobtrusive.”

The university already has planned to use the building as soon as construction is complete, Madden said

“The building is expected to be completed in March,” he said. “It will be used for orientation this summer, and the first classes will be held there in the fall of 2002.”

The Gerdin Business Building will have labs that are easier to use, among other advancements, said Labh Hira, interim business dean.

“The new building will give us a very state-of-the-art teaching facility, recruiting services that we haven’t had in the past and a trading simulation lab will also be available,” he said.

The new business building will also allow the college personnel to better organize program, Madden said.

“There has been considerable growth in the business program in the past few years,” he said, “and the building’s accessibility in the southeast corner of campus will be nice, because the Memorial Union will facilitate parking for the people in that program.”

The business building is expected to be completed in Fall 2003.