Walking to class has become more complicated, and it won’t change for the next two years.
As soon as students left campus for spring break on March 10, Hillsdale College installed fencing around the Quad in preparation for the construction of Christ Chapel, blocking off the entirety of the Quad as well as some parking for the student body.
“Unfortunately, the project will last two years,” Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said in an email. “There is no way to avoid the inconvenience. The sooner we started in the spring, the quicker we can get certain ‘critical path’ work done before winter.”
The fence blocks students from accessing the main entrance of the Grewcock Student Union and the main entrance to the Dow Leadership Center.
As a result, numerous students have complained about the fence, calling it unsightly and a major inconvenience to their campus commute.
“It makes my walk to class an extra five to 10 minutes longer,” junior Elyse Hutchenson said. “I live in Pi Phi and walk to class from that direction. Now the whole way we use to get on campus is blocked off.”
With the groundbreaking ceremony for Christ Chapel on April 6, the college is already taking aggressive steps to start construction on the 27,000-square-foot building. Since the beginning of March, the college has made numerous steps to prepare for the fence and the excavation. Groundskeepers have pulled out shrubs and tall trees as well as the sprinkler system.
Péwé said workers will soon begin digging a 26-foot long pit for the foundation, and eventually a tower crane reaching several hundred feet high will be installed within the perimeter to lift heavy materials.
Because of numerous safety hazards, Péwé said the fence will not be moving any time soon. To help students navigate around the constricted campus, workers have already started installing new routes.
“There will be a good amount of construction traffic on Galloway Drive for the next two years, and in some cases, access to Galloway Drive might be temporarily blocked,” Péwé said. “Right now, there is a sidewalk going in which will accommodate student traffic from Galloway Drive to the southeast end of Grewcock.”
Additionally, students have wondered why construction could not begin after graduation.
While that may be more convenient for students, Péwé said the project must start sooner rather than later.
“March and April are better months to mobilize so we can get earth work and foundation work under way in the favorable temperatures,” Péwé said. “A month or two makes a huge difference. March was a better time versus May to get more competitive bids.”
While the next two years of the incoming construction may lead to frustration from numerous students, Péwé said it is ultimately in the best interest of everyone.
“Everything we do is in pursuit of the mission and the benefit of our students,” Péwé said. “It’s better to complete the project and have a dedication in May 2019 versus September 2019. This way we have a chance of having the 2019 grads take part in the dedication and see the finished chapel before heading out to jobs, grad school, and professional school.”
